Bulls set to be without Johan Goosen as flyhalf learns fate after red card

Referee Adam Jones gave Goosen his marching orders in the 53rd minute of the crunch URC clash in Pretoria on Saturday. His sending-off occurred shortly after the Bulls went into a 22-17 lead after trailing 17-10 at half-time.

The playmaker had gone in to tackle replacement Munster scrum-half Craig Casey near a breakdown in an attempt to cut off his passing options but instead clattered into the Irish international with the two players' heads clashing.

The ball spilt loose from the collision with Canan Moodie going on to score in the corner before the try was ruled out upon a TMO review.

Referee Jones consulted with TMO Craig Evans with the pair deeming there was no mitigation and Goosen was duly issued with a red card. His sending off proved to be a turning point in the fixture as tries from John Hodnett and Conor Murray ultimately led to Munster claiming a maiden win at Loftus, defeating the Bulls 22-27.

Compounding the Bulls' woes is the confirmation that Goosen will now miss the next two matches - possibly three - for White's side after he was given a three-game suspension.

"After an act of foul play by Vodacom Bulls player No.10 (Johan Goosen), referee Adam Jones showed the Player a Red Card in the 53rd minute of the game under Law 9.13 - A player must not tackle an opponent early, late or dangerously. Dangerous tackling includes, but is not limited to, tackling or attempting to tackle an opponent above the line of the shoulders even if the tackle starts below the line of the shoulders," a URC statement read.

"In the Player's responses to the Judicial Officer overseeing the disciplinary process (Sheriff Kathrine Mackie, Scotland), he had accepted that he had committed an act of foul play which warranted a Red Card. Sheriff Mackie found that the incident met the Red Card threshold, with entry of mid-range warranting six weeks. The Player received three weeks (50%) mitigation due to his good record and apology to the player which results in a three game suspension."

Goosen will now miss the Bulls' match against the Ospreys this weekend as well as the clash with Glasgow Warriors on May 11.

He has the opportunity to reduce his sanction by a week provided that he completes World Rugby's Coaching Intervention Programme, but if not, he will also miss the clash against Benetton on May 18.

All three fixtures are crucial for the Bulls in the Race for the Final Eight as the above-mentioned trio are all vying for a hotly-contested play-off spot. 11 teams are still well within the running for a place in the knockout stages.

"I understand that they are trying to make the game safer. They don't want concussions," White said after the match when asked about the red card to his playmaker.

"One week, you might be fortunate when a referee says, 'Look, that was a rugby incident', or like that one (Kurt-Lee Arendse versus Leinster) was a yellow card, even though he knocked Kurt-Lee like that.

"Sometimes you've got to take the rough with the smooth. I definitely think it changed the outcome of the game. I definitely think it made the game turn a different angle."

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