South Africans reckon there would have been a different outcome had the currently suspended Lood de Jager be playing for Ireland or England.<\/p>\n
That is according to Springboks legend Jean de Villiers, who believes that the second-row forward has been very harshly treated.<\/p>\n
De Jager was issued a permanent red card just before the interval during the Boks\u2019<\/a> 32-17 victory over France in Saint-Denis and was then handed a four-week ban.<\/p>\n He appealed that suspension but, according to reports, it has been rejected by an independent disciplinary panel, much to the frustration of De Villiers.<\/p>\n Springboks conspiracy theory<\/p>\n The former Springboks skipper was appearing on Off The Ball when he was asked by the host: \u201cIs there a feeling in South Africa if Lood de Jager was wearing a France jersey, an Ireland<\/a> jersey, an England<\/a> jersey, a different decision would have been reached?\u201d<\/p>\n De Villiers responded: \u201cTo answer your question in short, I think yes,\u201d before he discussed the red cards handed out to South Africa.<\/p>\n Franco Mostert followed De Jager in being sent-off when he was dismissed for a tackle on Italy\u2019s Paolo Garbisi.<\/p>\n That permanent red has since been rescinded, but it has not stopped South African fans from speculating about the motives of those at the very top of the sport.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re good at playing the victim but the reality is you\u2019ve seen two permanent red cards in the autumn series and both were against South Africa,\u201d De Villiers said.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m almost sick and tired of talking about refereeing and all of that.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t understand anymore, I don\u2019t know anymore when there\u2019s a collision and when they go slow and go to the TMO, anything can happen.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s no consistency anymore. You see two situations of things happening, head contact and for the one it\u2019s a permanent red, and for the other it\u2019s a yellow \u2013 I don\u2019t understand that.\u201d<\/p>\n