France’s prowess in claiming the Six Nations in such commanding fashion was undercut by what Gregor Townsend claims is a failing in rugby’s current judicial system. Peato Mauvaka was shown a yellow card midway through the first half for making head-to-head contact with Ben White, following his deliberate lunge at the Scotland scrum-half after play had stopped.

The incident was referred for a bunker review, which came back with the finding the contact had not been dangerous. Thus, the card remained at yellow, and Mauvaka returned to the field after 10 minutes in the sin bin.

“The decision not to raise it to a red card was because there was not excessive force,” said Townsend. “I’m not sure that is the criterion for a non-tackle incident. That was clearly not a tackle incident. It was after the whistle. So if there was head contact and that was intentional, it shouldn’t really have anything to do with the force.”

The new 20-minute red card is meant to be reserved for technical offences generally in the tackle situation, where there is clearly no intent to harm. This incident did not qualify as such, so Townsend felt the referee ought to have issued a straight red himself. Once he had referred the incident to the bunker, the only option for upgrade was to a 20-minute red, which is not meant to apply to deliberate acts after play has stopped.

“It was after the play. I feel sorry for Ben White, because he did nothing. He was pushed to ground, then he got collided in the head. I don’t know how it wasn’t raised to red. Whether that had anything to do with the final result, who knows. France are a quality side and deserved champions. They were the better side in the end. But I think [the bunker review system] gives referees an out. We’ve taken decision-making away from referees. That’s the process we have now to speed up the game, but you don’t want to miss incidents that are clearly red cards.”

Townsend’s captain, Rory Darge, agreed that the incident looked like a red card in the moment, but both were adamant France deserved their win. Fabien Galthié, their coach, had been furious the weekend before about what he saw as foul play by Ireland, resulting in the loss of Antoine Dupont to serious injury. But Galthié was in jubilant mood.

“I’m relieved,” he said. “We’re happy because we won. That was the goal. We achieved it, so the first feeling is happiness and joy.”

Gregory Alldritt, captain in the absence of Dupont, agreed. “We are about having fun. The group is already determined to win more titles. Not to make history but to have some good times. We’ve really had a good time this tournament. That’s what rugby is for. That’s what sport is for.”