Clive Woodward slams Jaco Peyper's Six Nations red card: 'One of the worst decisions I've seen'

Rugby World Cup-winning coach Clive Woodward says the decision to red card England fullback Freddie Steward in a Six Nations match against Ireland was "one of the worst" decisions he's ever seen in the sport.

Steward was controversially sent off by South African referee Jaco Peyper after he made head contact with Ireland counterpart Hugo Keenan.

Steward and Keenan had both charged towards a loose ball. The England fullback braced for contact as Keenan looked to scoop up the ball, before the players made contact.

Peyper deemed Steward's actions were reckless and dished out a red card.

A Six Nations disciplinary panel confirmed on Wednesday that the red card should have instead been a yellow. 

However, Woodward said the incident left a blemish on the sport.

"When Jaco Peyper and his fellow officials decided Steward should be sent off in Dublin, the words used were that his collision with Keenan was a sending off in the 'current climate'. What on earth does that mean?" Woodward wrote in his Daily Mail column.

"The only 'current climate' to the sport is that it is in meltdown. The officials are working off a tick sheet when it comes to making big decisions and they are all terrified of making the wrong call or doing something to upset World Rugby which will affect their careers. That sums up the game as a whole at the moment."

Red card for Freddie Steward pic.twitter.com/N6nVNx2qQN

Woodward said initially he agreed that a yellow card was the appropriate sanction, but he has since had a change of heart.

"I don't think there should have been any card at all. The decision to show Steward red was one of the worst I've seen. I agree with a lot of what my fellow Sportsmail columnist Shaun Edwards has said on this issue. But I don't feel