Red cards are tough to avoid admits New Zealand skipper Sam Cane

New Zealand skipper Sam Cane said red cards are tough to avoid in high intensity matches following the 22-24 defeat to Australia in the second game of the Rugby Championship in Brisbane.

The game on Saturday saw both the sides suffer a red card apiece with the All Blacks losing Ofa Tu'ungafasi for an illegal hit on Tom Wright in the 23rd minute while Australia's Lachlan Swinton was sent-off for a similar offence on Sam Whitelock at the stroke of half-time.

New Zealand had only five cards since 1925 but three out it come after 2017 and Cane believes with stringent rules the margin for error was minimal.

"It's a fast moving game with big collisions and every now and then players are going to get it slightly wrong," said Cane.

"And I don't think either of those cards were malicious or dirty plays by any means, just fractionally off.

"We spend a lot of time practising, but in top sport like this there will be the odd error."

Despite the defeat, New Zealand continue to top the table with six points in the tri-nation Rugby Championship and will face Argentina next in Parramatta on 14th November.