Hugo Keenan backs decision to rescind Steward red card

Hugo Keenan says he supports the decision to overturn Freddie Steward's red card from Saturday's Six Nations finale against England.

The England full-back was sent off just before half time in the Grand Slam decider after colliding with the head of Keenan, who didn't return to the game after failing his head injury assessment.

That red card was rescinded on Wednesday after an independent disciplinary panel found that Keenan's late change of movement and height was a mitigating factor, with the Ireland 15 having dipped to pick up the ball before the clash with Steward, downgrading the incident to a yellow card.

And Keenan believes it's fair that Steward is free to play after what he says was just an unfortunate "rugby incident".

"It's probably fair enough, isn't it?," he said, at the launch of Energia's 'Think of the Possibilities' campaign.

"It's up to the citing commissioners and the refs to make those decisions, but it was a bit of an accident, wasn't it?

"He was very apologetic nearly straight away after and then after on the pitch as well. As a fellow fullback, I feel for him in those positions. I think it was just one of those sort of rugby incidents, it's not like it was a reckless high challenge or anything like that.

"I caught him on the pitch and he apologised. I accepted it completely and we had a little chat. He's a lovely lad in fairness."

And the Leinster full-back says the size disparity between he and the 6ft 5in Steward probably played into the decision by referee Jaco Peyper and his match officials.

"He's a very big boy, you don't realise until you're on the pitch.

"He's probably nearly the biggest player on the pitch, so it probably didn't help his cause did it? Putting me to shame with my mere height and weight.