Reds prop Taniela Tupou has escaped sanction for a no-arms, high tackle on Craig Barry at Newlands last Saturday.

The prop was cited for the incident, which occurred in the eighth minute, after the match.

However, Sanzaar’s disciplinary committee on Wednesday ruled it did not warrant the player receiving a red card and therefore just gave him a warning.

Sanzaar’s ruling cited a written statement from Barry, as well as the Stormers’ physician, oral evidence from the player himself and the submissions from his legal representative.

SuperSport analyst Nick Mallett was one of many who believed Tupou should have been red-carded.

‘There were no arms used in the tackle by the No 3,’ he said after the game. ‘It was high and had force. The tackle went straight into [Barry’s] head, and his head spins back there. That is a concussion waiting to happen.

‘For Tupou to have been allowed to stay on the field is exactly what is wrong with rugby at the moment. We should not allow that.

‘For foul play, you have two assistant refs, the referee himself and the TMO. They can all come in if they see foul play. It is impossible that all four people missed that incident. I don’t believe it. If they did not miss it, it was a big mistake not to stop the game, inform the referee and get Tupou off the field.’

Photo: Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix