Billy V was not at all happy with this.
Rugby players are inundated with match clips and personal game highlights - in a bid to improve and prepare themselves. One wonders if video analysts bothered sending around the tackle that got Jerome Kaino five-week ban, on Wednesday.
The All Blacks flanker was only yellow-carded, while playing for Toulose, when his driving shoulder connected with the head of Jamie Roberts and forced the Bath centre off.
Kaino was cited, post-match, for the stand-up smash and copped a five-week ban for striking with the shoulder.
Days later and both Billy Twelvetrees and Danny Cipriani unfurled similar hits against Munster. Cipriani got a straight red for his bosh on Rory Scannell while Twelvetrees was lucky to avoid the same fate.
With Munster leading 5-3 after 28 minutes, Cipriani stood straight up and his shoulder bounced off Scannell, the ball-carrier. Each hit looked worse on the replays and the England outhalf was given his marching orders.
https://twitter.com/btsportrugby/status/1053626925703421952
Cipriani had no complaints and jogged off, but plenty of rugby fans - many ignorant of World Rugby trying to clamp down on head high hits - waded in against the call on social media.
https://twitter.com/FWBatchelor/status/1053631718392057856
https://twitter.com/guytasker28/status/1053630366249050112
https://twitter.com/AstieBolton/status/1053631177758785536
https://twitter.com/juliothejackass/status/1053631424643915777
Saracens and England No.8 Billy Vunipola - a player who has broken his arm three times in 12 months - wants rugby officials to let hits like Cipriani's slide.
Moments after Cipriani saw red, Vunipola was on social media bemoaning the call.
https://twitter.com/bvunipola/status/1053626141058195458
Twelvetrees was then lucky to escape with a scolding after flattening Carbery with a high shoulder:
https://twitter.com/darrencave13/status/1053635312197480448
Vunipola, and other rugby pros - past and present - complaining about World Rugby's new diktat would be best advised to look at the statistics that comprehensively prove that these high hits are causing serious injuries and leading to increased instances of concussion.
