Niall Armstrong: Exeter scrum-half banned after red card at Northampton

Niall Armstrong has scored two Premiership tries for Exeter this season, and had featured in each of their league games as a replacement

Exeter boss Rob Baxter says referees may need more guidance on how players in the air catch the ball after Niall Armstrong's red card at Northampton.

The Exeter scrum-half was sent off for dangerous play after his outstretched leg hit Fin Smith in the face as he went to catch a high kick.

Armstrong was leaning back to catch the ball, which Baxter says forced him to put a leg out for balance.

"It's not a deliberate action and it's not an unnatural action," Baxter said.

"But you literally have to sit with referees and show them 20 or 30 for them to understand, as however you look at it it doesn't look right.

"But when you see the guys catching on a regular basis as soon as you make any movement to lean your upper body back a leg will naturally come out to balance you, that's the only balance you can make with the arms to your chest.

Northampton's Fin Smith was left with a cut face after being kicked by Niall Armstrong as the Exeter player went to catch a high ball

"I looked at a load of kicks in a load of games and they all looked very similar, it's just positioning of the opposition body that changes the scenario."

Armstrong, 24, has been given a three-week ban which will be reduced to two weeks should he successfully complete a World Rugby coaching intervention programme.

Baxter says he and his coaches will work with his players on high kicks, so they are not leaning back and liable to commit a similar offence.

"We've got to work on their anticipation of the ball so they don't get under it, that bit where you're in danger of flicking legs out to try and get balance.

"We've got to work on how they actually catch those balls so they don't get unbalanced, that's the simple way of dealing with it.

"That's what we'll do through Niall's coaching intervention, is just to try and get him balanced and stable as he receives the ball rather than end up off-balance.

"You don't want your guys off-balance and leaning back because then they'll get smashed in a tackle anyway, we want them to be attacking the ball at pace and that's the thing we've got to work at."