Springboks' Mostert and Japan's Hockings Cleared After Red Cards Overturned

Two pivotal red cards in the 2025 Quilter Nations Series have been erased — not by appeal, but by review — and the ripple effects are already reshaping team selections ahead of Saturday’s crucial Tests. Franco Mostert, the veteran Springboks lock, and Harry Hockings, the Australian-born Japan No. 19, were both cleared on November 19, 2025, after independent panels determined their tackles, while dangerous, didn’t cross the legal threshold for a red card. Both players are now eligible to face Ireland and Georgia respectively, just 72 hours after being ruled out.

What Went Wrong on the Field?

Mostert’s red card came during South Africa’s 28-20 win over Italy in Padova. Referee James Doleman signaled a straight red after Mostert’s shoulder made contact with fly-half Paolo Garbisi’s chest. The initial call sent shockwaves through the Springboks camp — forcing captain Siya Kolisi into the second row earlier than planned, and burning through Ben-Jason Dixon’s only game time of the year in under 20 minutes. But the disciplinary panel, chaired by England’s Jeremy Summers and including South Africa’s Stefan Terblanche and Romania’s Val Toma, reviewed slow-motion footage and concluded: no shoulder-to-head contact. That’s the legal line. And it wasn’t crossed.

Meanwhile, Hockings’ incident happened during Japan’s 34-27 loss to Wales. He was shown a 20-minute red card for a high tackle on back row Alex Mann. But the panel found the contact was more of a glancing blow than a deliberate, elevated strike. "It was a shoulder to the upper torso," one panel member reportedly said during deliberations. "It was careless, yes — but not reckless enough to warrant a red under Law 9.13."

The Fallout: Teams Left scrambling

For South Africa, the red card had forced Rassie Erasmus to reshuffle his entire forward structure. With Mostert sidelined, the Springboks played with 14 men for 52 minutes — a tactical nightmare against a physically dominant Italian pack. Now, with Mostert back, Erasmus can restore his preferred second-row partnership with Pieter-Steph du Toit. "We were playing chess with one less pawn," said one insider. "Now we’ve got our rook back." Japan, under Eddie Jones, faced a different kind of crisis. Hockings is their most consistent lineout operator and a key defensive anchor. His absence meant Japan had to rely on 21-year-old debutant Keita Inagaki, who struggled under pressure. "Harry’s leadership in the scrum and his timing in the lineout are irreplaceable," said Japan’s assistant coach, Mark Anscombe. "Losing him was like losing the compass in a storm."

Officiating Under Scrutiny

The fact that both red cards were overturned within 24 hours of each other has ignited fierce debate. Commentary from Forever Sports captured the frustration: "They decided to continuously review this with the match officials on the field — and somehow got talked into a permanent red. That was a ludicrous decision." The real issue? Consistency. World Rugby’s protocol allows for a 20-minute sin-bin for high tackles that are borderline — a "reviewable red" — but only if the referee doesn’t immediately issue a straight red. In both cases, referees issued permanent reds, then the video review system failed to catch the error in real time. The disciplinary panels later had to fix it — a process that should have been handled on the field.

"This isn’t about players being lucky," said former referee Nigel Owens in a post-decision analysis. "It’s about the system being broken. If you’re going to have a 20-minute red card option, you need referees trained to use it — not default to permanent dismissal every time there’s contact above the shoulders."

What This Means for the Rest of the November Window

With Mostert and Hockings back, both teams enter their final November fixtures with renewed strength. South Africa, now fully intact, will face Ireland in Dublin with a far more balanced pack — a critical advantage against a team that thrives on set-piece dominance. Japan, meanwhile, gets its most reliable lineout option back ahead of a physical encounter with Georgia — a side that’s improved dramatically under former Scotland coach Richie Gray.

But the bigger question lingers: How many other borderline calls were missed — or misjudged — during this international window? The disciplinary panels have cleared two players. But the reputation of match officials? That’s still under review.

Behind the Rules: What Constitutes a Red Card?

Under World Rugby Law 9.13, a red card for a high tackle requires clear evidence of direct, dangerous, and elevated shoulder contact to the head or neck area. Shoulder-to-chest, even if forceful, is a yellow card — unless it’s reckless or involves twisting or lifting. Both Mostert and Hockings’ tackles lacked those aggravating factors. That’s why the panels ruled as they did.

It’s worth noting: this isn’t the first time a red card has been overturned. In 2023, Ireland’s James Ryan had his red rescinded after a similar review. But back-to-back overturns in the same window? That’s rare. And telling.