You would have thought that Christmas had come a week early given the amount of cards that referees were giving out over the course of the last round of European matches.

It is no coincidence that officials became so card-happy in the week that World Rugby announced that it will be introducing a “zero-tolerance” approach to contact with the head.

Even though these directives will not kick in until the New Year, its spirit was followed with the six red cards all involving contact with the head of an opponent.

The tally of sendings off in European competition now stands at 11 after four rounds. The previous record for an entire season is eight.

That World Rugby are so proactively trying to reduce the rate of concussion in the sport – 76 per cent of head injuries come from tackles – is to be applauded. The cult of the “big hit”, which attracts millions of views on YouTube from people who presumably also enjoy watching car crashes, needs to be addressed.