Big focus on tackling technique for World Cup

Take a wider lens to all this and the helter-skelter, car-crash nature of rugby means that players are all walking a thin line

NERVOUS WAIT: England's Billy Vunipola is consoled after seeing his yellow card upgraded to a red card for a high tackle against Ireland. Pic: Niall Carson/PA Wire

Just over 52 minutes on the game clock and the moment everyone knew was a possibility became reality.

It wasn’t immediately apparent that Billy Vunipola had caught Andrew Porter high with a no-arms tackle on Saturday but the first replay sent a knowing ‘ooh’ around the Aviva Stadium.