The former Exeter Chiefs lock was successful in getting into his opponent’s hair, and under his skin.
Jonny Hill and Darcy Swain had a first half flashpoint that neither man will look back fondly on. Former England captain Dylan Hartley called it ‘a moment of madness’.
The locks got embroiled in a bit of silly buggers at the back of a maul, and both ended up copping cards. The spice started off earlier in the first half of the First Test between Australia and England.
Having spouted off to each other, Hill was fortunate that replays were not sought of this shove to the face of Swain:
So is contact the the head now allowed? No mitigation, and 2 feet from the referee@Pick_DriveRugby#AUSvENG pic.twitter.com/iysJhfjXZv
— Saint Drogo (@liquorbox_) July 2, 2022
Later in the half, came a moment of huge controversy.
Jonny Hill and Darcy Swain started tangling, at the back of a maul, and the England second row grabbed a lump of the Wallabies’ hair.
Swain wrestled away but, blood up, he strode forward and planted a head-butt on Hill:
Huge moment as Hill sees yellow and Swain sees red.#AUSvENG pic.twitter.com/RWMScCiwvB
— EK Rugby Analysis (@ek_rugby) July 2, 2022
Those cards?? 🤷🏼♂️🤷🏼♂️ Seriously, what’s happening to this great game #AUSvENG
— Matt Giteau 🇦🇺 (@giteau_rugby) July 2, 2022
“You cannot head-butt someone”
It was not the most forceful of contact from Swain, but it was contact, all the same, and it was foolish.
The match referee consulted with his assistants and the Television Match Official, as replays rolled. The decision, when it arrived, saw Jonny Hill yellow-carded, while Darcy Swain was sent off.
“It was reckless, there was intent,” said former England star Maggie Alphonsi, on Sky Sports. “You cannot head-butt someone.”
“People talk about these haircuts being business at the front, party at the back,” remarked Dylan Hartley. “If those [haircuts] were business all over, it wouldn’t have happened!”
You can watch that incident in full, here:
𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐃! 🟥 Australia's Darcy Swain! ❌
After some hair pulling…England's Jonny Hill is sent to the sin bin, but Australia's Swain is sent off for a 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐁𝐔𝐓𝐓! ⤵️ #AUSvENGpic.twitter.com/OX4lm3nAUf
— Sky Sports (@SkySports) July 2, 2022
No-one came out of that looking good. Darcy Swain is likely to miss the remainder of the three-match Test Series after that lapse of sense.
Ahead of the game, starting Australian outhalf Qudae Cooper was ruled out with a calf strain.
