After five editions of the Six Nations Championship without a single red card (2015-2019), we have had three in the last nine matches.
In 2020, Mohamed Haouas got his marching orders for an ill-advised punch in France’s defeat to Scotland, and in the same round, Manu Tuilagi was dismissed late on for a high-shot on George North.
Then, this year in Cardiff, Peter O’Mahony became the first Irishman to be sent off in the Six Nations for dangerous play at the ruck.
Normally the team that goes down to 14 men ends up losing the match. The Tuilagi incident was the only exception as Wales did not have time to capitalise and lost 33-30.
Wales are the only team in the history of the Six Nations not to have had a man sent off, but it is in games against them that Scotland have had their only red cards.
Scott Murray incurred the wrath of referee Steve Walsh in the match against Wales in 2006, while Stuart Hogg was inconsolable as he trudged off the field for an early bath after an act of foul play in 2014.
Will history repeat itself? Betway are offering 6/1 for a red card to be shown in Saturday’s Doddie Weir Cup encounter at Murrayfield, when, more likely than not, there will be a few heated exchanges to warm up an otherwise freezing cold day.
Six Nations red cards
Walter Cristofoletto: France v Italy, 2000
Alessandro Troncon: Ireland v Italy, 2001
Scott Murray: Scotland v Wales, 2006
Stuart Hogg: Wales v Scotland, 2014
Michele Rizzo: France v Italy, 2014
Rabah Slimani: France v Italy, 2014
Manu Tuilagi: England v Wales, 2020
Mohamed Haouas: Scotland v France, 2020
Peter O’Mahony: Wales v Ireland, 2020
