OPINION: If the red card in the Super Rugby final proved anything, it's that the battle to stop players falling out of the sky is being lost.
Authorities have cracked down on anyone who contacts the man in the air. It's a good call. We don't want players breaking their necks. But the punishments aren't eliminating the problem.
Lions loose forward Kwagga Smith is the latest to be punished, after taking out David Havili in an aerial challenge. Havili wasn't the only victim though. The Lions lost a player and the fans lost a more competitive final.
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Because it's almost never intentional or involving malice, sending people off isn't the solution. Players continue to fall with a thud. We saw it in the Lions series and we continue to see it in Super Rugby.
I can only see two solutions. Either ban the bomb completely or ban players jumping for high balls.
World Rugby has to make a choice between spectacular aerial play and safety. It's one or the other. Their failure to stop it with red cards shows you can't have both.
Rather than punish players for something they didn't intend to do, maybe just remove their ability to make the mistake.
Box kicks and up-and-unders are a traditional weapon in rugby. Purists won't want to lose them. They provide variety in a game that can often turn into bash and crash.
Therefore, I suggest they ban jumping to claim bombs.
It's the responsible thing to do. Havili was a couple inches away from serious medical problems. It sounds dramatic but we're lucky no one has ended up in a wheelchair this season.
If you keep the competition on the ground, players will be safe, red cards won't ruin games and refs won't be in the spotlight.
Ross Karl is Newshub's rugby reporter.