The Reds had plenty of problems with the Force on Thursday night.

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The Reds have been tripped by three yellow cards in two games as they wrestle with World Rugby’s strict new laws which have redefined high tackles.

Sides will lose vital matches this season when forced to play with 14 men because of the increased policing and Reds coach Nick Stiles is determined it won’t be his.

Stiles would not cite Fa’agase’s yellow card in the 67th minute as the perfect example from the 26-19 loss to the Western Force in Perth because it would be a soft excuse for his team.

Sef Fa'agase was given a yellow card at a crucial time on Thursday night.Source:Getty Images

“It’s not good enough to be beaten by a side on hunger and desperation,” Stiles said of the major reason for playing Thursday night’s game on the back foot.

“I’m glad, to be honest, that we didn’t score at the death and come away with a draw because we would not have deserved it.”

Stiles is a pragmatist and knows the rash of yellow cards must be stemmed or the Reds will have another tough night against the Crusaders at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday week.

In the space of nine minutes, Fa’agase was penalised three times and binned for dangerous tackles when none might have incurred even a penalty three years ago.

He was whistled for a neck roll on Force lock Matt Philip, a dangerous high shot when Force flanker Kane Koteka slipped into a front-on hit and flipping low-running backrower Isi Naisarani with a no-arms torpedo with the shoulder.

World Rugby has specifically referenced that hat-trick of events “to deter and eradicate high tackles.”

“If a player makes accidental contact with an opponent’s head where the contact starts below the line of the shoulders, the player may still be sanctioned, including situations where the ball-carrier slips into the tackle,” World Rugby said in a statement.

The law is here to stay so teams have to adapt or suffer.

“There’s a new interpretation of the high tackle law and we’ve got to adjust because teams are going to lose games if they don’t,” Stiles said.

The Reds had plenty of problems with the Force.Source:AAP

“There have been contentious ones...Sef’s front-on tackle was just rugby and Karmichael (Hunt) was done with a yellow in the first game when a Sharks player lowered himself into the tackle.

“You can’t leave it to chance on a ref’s call so we have be better.

“We’ll have (defensive coach) Jason Gilmore and (contact coach) Brad (Thorn) look at our tackle tech but also the lift in physicality we need.”

SANZAAR referees boss Lyndon Bray phoned Stiles after the recent game against the Sharks and admitted some inconsistency when a neck roll on Samu Kerevi was not penalised.

“The phone call was appreciated. It’s not ‘us v them’ because we are all operating under the new laws and feedback is a good thing,” Stiles said.

Originally published as Yellow surge forces Reds to refine tackling