'Softest yellow card of the year' leaves Springboks halfback Faf de Klerk laughing
Springboks halfback Faf de Klerk was left laughing after he was sent off for what Stan Sport commentator Sean Maloney described as "one of the softest yellow cards of the year."
Just 40 seconds shy of the first half concluding, play was stopped after de Klerk swiped Nic White's face in a scrum as he sought to slap the ball away.
The Wallabies No.9 collapsed to the ground after the contact to his face, prompting referee Paul Williams to draw the yellow card.
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Although a seemingly innocuous brush, de Klerk paid the price for making contact with White's face.
"I know what you are trying to do," Williams said.
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"You are trying to go for the ball, but you've clearly got it wrong and struck someone directly in the face. So we can't have that. I know you have got it wrong, but it is a yellow card."
Faf de Klerk of the Springboks receives a yellow card during The Rugby Championship match against the Wallabies Getty
Seemingly bemused by the call, de Klerk couldn't help but laugh as he jogged from the field.
"I'm not sure we want to go down this slippery slope, but to be fair to Nic White he got clipped in the face and it's illegal," said All Blacks legend Andrew Mertens.
Sean Maloney added, "It will go down as one of the softest yellow cards of the year, no doubt."
The Wallabies went into the halftime break with a 10-3 advantage despite conceding a truckload of penalties.
The Springboks did themselves few favours however, missing several shots on goal.
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