Coach Sean Everitt expressed his frustration with the red card shown to Sharks scrumhalf Grant Williams during Saturday’s victory against the Bulls in Pretoria.

The Sharks bounced back from two substandard results to claim a 29-22 victory over the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld.

However, the game had its share of drama as each of the teams had a player red-carded. The Bulls lost Morne Steyn when the veteran flyhalf uncharacteristically put in a late, neck-high tackle on Sharks captain Lukhanyo Am.

The Sharks were also reduced to 14 men in the second half when Williams saw red for a head-on-head collision with Steyn’s replacement Chris Smith, which resulted in the Bulls player having to be stretchered off the field.

Everitt said after the match that while he can see why referee AJ Jacobs sent Williams off, he hopes there is enough common sense not to ban the player.

“There’s a lot of emphasis that’s been put on head contact,” said Everitt. “We know we are in a contact game, and sometimes there are going to be collisions and head-on-head clashes.

“I was watching the game (on Friday night) between Edinburgh and Leinster, and there was a similar incident which was a yellow.

“I think we need to be mindful that it is rugby, and that’s the thing that frustrates me a little bit. If you go maliciously on the head, then there’s a problem.

“The way I saw it, Grant was a little bit unlucky, and I hope he doesn’t get sanctioned too hard for that. He’s shooting off the line, and if the guy steps or whatever and you get the adjustment wrong, accidents do happen.

“In saying that, the law is there in black and white. If you’re looking at it so many times – there is a collision and an injury – at that stage in the box, I didn’t have any doubt that Grant was going to go off.”

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