The words Jaco and Peyper are still on the find of the Irish rugby fan today, almost three days after Ireland were beaten 21-9 at home to New Zealand.
While the performance of Peyper has been analysed and decried ad naseum - Neil Francis said that, on Saturday, the All Blacks realised that 'we have a referee with no balls here', and therefore we had a 'eunuch refereeing this match' - and the response of Irish fans to said referee has been scorned also, this evening we now have the proof that the South African referee did us a disservice on Saturday.
Malaki Fekitoa has earned a one-week suspension following his citing for a ludicrously high tackle on Simon Zebo, confirmation that the colour of Peyper's card should have been red, rather than yellow. The independent commission deemed that he Fekitoa acted "recklessly rather than intentionally' in swinging a forearm at Zebo's throat.
The ban was initially due to stretch to a fortnight, but it was cut in half owing to his previously clean disciplinary record, his conduct at the hearing and his "immediate acknowledgment of wrongdoing" - something that Steve Hansen could not he credited with after his post-match interview.
Fekitoa will now miss the French game this weekend, but was able to return to the field against Ireland after a ten-minute spell on the sidelines.
Good thing he didn't make a major contribution after returning, like, oh I don't know, score a decisive try.
The hearing is still ongoing, by the way, so we expect to hear news on Sam Cane's citing for a high tackle on Robbie Henshaw soon.
Not that this news is of much use to Ireland at this stage anyway.
Has anyone made a Feck-it-oa gag yet? If so, may we stand humbly before you.
See Also: Matt Williams Has A Very Interesting Take On Why Jaco Peyper Refereed All Blacks So Leniently
