Concern was registered from within the Scotland camp yesterday after World Rugby decided that Springbok captain Siya Kolisi would escape a ban for an apparent head butt on Peter Horne during Saturday’s Test match.

American citing commissioner decided that there had been an act of foul play by the South African flanker as he led his side to a 26-20 win, but decreed that the offence, described as ‘striking with the head’ merited only a warning since he did not believe it would have been considered a red card offence had it been picked up by match officials during the game.

Kolisi had his back to the Scotland centre as they lay on the ground and appeared to be being held back by Horne when he threw his head back in what could most generously be considered an attempt to break loose from his opponent’s grasp.

However, as Scotland assistant coach Mike Blair observed yesterday: “You don’t wriggle free with your head, do you?”

Blair was largely diplomatic on the subject, but at a time when there is growing concern about the number of head injuries in the sport, admitted that: “When you slow it down in the cold light of day, it doesn’t look like a good challenge or like a fair challenge.”

Horne’s team-mate Stuart Hogg – who yesterday declared himself to be suffering no lasting effects of the ankle injury which ended his involvement early on Saturday – was rather more forthright, however,

“I asked Pete ‘was that a legit headbutt?’ and he felt he was headbutted,” observing that Horne’s integrity in making light of the incident had probably protected Kolisi since he had not drawn the attention of the television match official (TMO) to the incident as he might have.

“These things happen but you do question what the TMO is doing. He can have a look at it three, four or as many times as he wants. The fortunate thing is we got a good outcome on the back of that phase of play so we didn’t necessarily look back at it. Pete Horne is a hard bugger who just got on with it. He didn’t whinge about it. We’ve all seen it back now and everyone has got there own views and mine is no different to anyone else’s.

“Player welfare is massive and World Rugby are trying to ensure we are in the safest possible place. I just think there is a severe lack of consistency in all levels of the game now but look, World Rugby will look at that, they’re in charge.”