IRB says du Plessis yellow card was a mistake

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) The International Rugby Board has found fault with referee Romain Poite's decision to award the first of two yellow cards against South Africa's Bismarck du Plessis in a test against New Zealand on Saturday, and Rugby Championship organizers have deleted a subsequent red card from the Springbok hooker's career record.

In a statement Monday, the IRB said the yellow card awarded against du Plessis for a tackle on New Zealand flyhalf Dan Carter in the 17th minute of the match was "incorrect." Du Plessis received a second yellow card for foul play in the 42nd minute of the match, meaning he was automatically sent off.

New Zealand went on to win 29-15 as South Africa played most of the second half with 14 men. The IRB said the yellow card decision "was an unfortunate case of human error by the match officials."

Terry Willis, an Australian judicial officer for the SANZAR group which sanctions international rugby in the southern hemisphere, later removed the red card from du Plessis' disciplinary record.

The SANZAR judicial hearing was held Monday via teleconference, with submissions made on behalf of the player and the video footage reviewed.

SANZAR said in a statement that Willis found Poite's decision "was wrong," as the tackle on Carter "was within the laws of the game."

The other yellow card issued against du Plessis, for raising his elbow as he went into a tackle against an All Blacks backrower, remains on his record.

The first yellow card was instantly questioned by commentators on both sides, with the South African Rugby Union incensed by the ruling and later demanding an explanation from the IRB.

"We are going to inquire with the IRB what went wrong there," SARU deputy president Mark Alexander was quoted as saying by the South African Press Association on the team's return to Johannesburg on Sunday. "I mean you can't have test matches with cards like this as it affects the game.

"Even the second yellow card is questionable if one looks at how other players also lead with the elbow," Alexander said.