Italian referee Andrei Piardi suffered an injury and left the field during the first half of England’s Six Nations match against Ireland at Twickenham.

Steve Borthwick’s England team aimed to recover from last week’s defeat to Scotland but trailed 22-7 at halftime after a challenging start.

Injury Strikes at 29 Minutes

The incident occurred with the score at 15-0 to Ireland. Piardi suddenly stopped, appearing distressed as he received attention. Players from both sides approached, including Ireland captain Caelan Doris, who offered consolation by placing a hand on the referee’s shoulder.

Piardi addressed England captain Maro Itoje and Doris, saying, “I heard it pop,” followed by, “I’m out, my body’s gone. Best of luck for the rest of the game.” He shook Itoje’s hand and walked off without additional treatment.

Assistant referee Pierre Brousset, experienced at Twickenham, stepped in to continue officiating.

Commentator Nick Mullins observed, “Well that’s a shame for him. These referees work as hard as the players to get match fit. They’re fitter than they’ve ever been, but if they get an in-game injury then it’s understandable.”