The incident happened on the stroke of half-time in the Top 14 match
Efrain Elias is struck in the chest by Janick Tarrit
Top 14 leaders Toulouse racked up their eighth win of the season by seeing off Racing 92 in a 48-24 victory.
The match was largely made significant due to the return of Antoine Dupont, but much of the talk afterwards surrounded Janick Tarrit’s game-changing red card.
With the game still finely poised at 5-3, Tarrit committed a blatant headbutt on Toulouse star Efrain Elias on the stroke of half-time, hitting him in the stomach.
The incident was reviewed by the video referee, after on-field official Tual Trainini had already blown his whistle for half-time.
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The referee explained: “What I clearly see is the number 2 in white deliberately headbutting the player at the sternum, without any intention of grabbing him. For me, given the images, it’s a red card.”
The incident signalled a chaotic end to the first half, with that card reducing Toulouse to 13 men after Selestino Ravutaumada had already been sent to the bin.
Toulouse were awarded a penalty and subsequently on last opportunity before the interval.
They took it with aplomb, with Elias scoring his side’s second try of the evening.
The incident clearly tipped the game in favour of Toulouse, who would go on to run over another five tries on the night.
Efrain Elias lies in agony after being struck by Janick Tarrit (Image: X)
Racing did rally by running over three scores of their own, two of which came in the final 10 minutes, but it turned out to be a largely straightforward evening for the hosts.
Predictably, Tarrit’s red card was largely seen as the turning point.
French outlet RugbyRama wrote: “Inconceivable, inexplicable, stupid… Many adjectives could describe the insane act committed by Janick Tarrit.”
It now seems likely Tarrit will face further action following the incident, meaning there could yet be further consequences for what was a moment of madness.
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