3 key Hearts vs Rangers VAR calls as Collum era sees ref experts and Naismith disagree over Barron handball claim

It was a new dawn for refereeing in Scottish football as Hearts faced Rangers to kick off the new Scottish Premiership campaign.

A new SFA head of refereeing is at the helm and the Willie Collum era officially kicking off at Tynecastle - with the former whistler promising a new dawn for Clydesdale House after VAR only served to add more controversy to the top flight last term. The man himself has endured his fair share of controversies - so there was a hint of irony that the first official game of his tenure kicked off with Rangers - a side who tried to have the former ref booted off their games last season.

Collum has since revealed he held talks with Philippe Clement after being caught in eye of a VAR storm after Alistair Johnston wasn't punished with a penalty against him for a handball against the Light Blues at Parkhead last December. And to cool supporter ire over the technology, the ref chief made some big promises before the campaign opener. Fewer VAR interventions for handball and speeding up the process, while Action against players "mobbing" of referees by players was promised. But what were the big incidents that referee Nick Walsh Andrew Dallas on VAR duty had to deal with? Record Sport takes a look.

Kenneth Vargas was attempting to break through on goal as Hearts burst through on the counter attack. The Chilean looked to be going through on goal as he looked to reach the long ball - when he was involved in a clash with James Tavernier. Whistler Walsh waved the claim away before quickly being back up by the VAR team.

On Sky Sports commentary, Neil McCann made a quick fire red card claim with Vargas bearing down on Jack Butland's goal stating: "I think there is a trip there." However, the former Rangers