Tadhg Beirne didn't want to be drawn on the performance of the match officials in Ireland’s defeat to South Africa but believes they are "doing their best".
An ill-tempered game saw referee Matthew Carley brandish five yellow cards, four for Ireland, and one red, for lock James Ryan.
Controversially, the officials deemed Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu's shoulder charge on Tommy O’Brien worthy of a penalty only.
"We’re not convinced that it is a no-arms tackle," the English official said as his team worked their way out of the correct decision.
A scuffle breaks out after Feinberg-Mngomezulu's tackle on Tommy O'Brien. The Springbok fortunate to escape further sanction there.
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Beirne himself was a victim of an incorrect call earlier in the November series when he was red-carded for a high challenge on New Zealand’s Beauden Barrett that was subsequently rescinded on appeal.
The Springboks had two players red-carded in their wins over France and Italy, with Lood de Jager losing an appeal and Franco Mostert having his sending off expunged.
"I don't want to comment on it really. It's not really my place," second row Beirne told reporters after the 24-13 defeat in Dublin.
"I think the officials are doing their best out there. Everything looks worse in slow-mo for sure. They're trying to make calls and they have their protocol and they'll make their judgments.
"We as players just have to accept their judgment on the day and go forward and try and put out our best performances after that.
"I don't envy them at all because it's a very difficult position to be in. Something can look really bad in slow-mo but it is what it is.
"They're doing their best out there and that's all we can ask."
Ireland are over through Tadhg Beirne, but it's ruled out for an illegal clear-out by James Ryan. It was later upgraded to a 20-minute red card.
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Ryan was initially yellow-carded for his clear-out on Malcolm Marx but that was changed to a 20-minute red by the foul player review officer, Dan Jones, the same official that decided to upgrade Beirne’s sin-binning against the All Blacks.
Ireland could have few complaints about the latest red card with Ryan’s challenge also ruling out Beirne’s try that would have, with a conversion, put Ireland in front.
"We got back halfway and we looked up and saw they were reviewing," said Beirne of the incident. "Unfortunately, these things happen in rugby. Gutted for James.
"These things do happen. Hopefully, he'll go back and get that review and we'll see what happens. That's the way the game is going in terms of these decisions and stuff.
"Some go for you, some go against you. You get timing or something and you can get a split second wrong and you could be in the bin or have a red card for 20 minutes.
"You can't say it's momentum, you just have to deal with it and get on with it.
"We did our best to do that but, as I said, discipline around the park probably let us down and gave them access."
The game included 16 South Africa put-ins, with the visiting pack’s domination at the scrum yielding yellow cards for looseheads Andrew Porter and Paddy McCarthy.
"It was a bit of a chaotic game, a game of scrums," added the 33-year-old Munster captain, whose side conceded 18 penalties in total.
"It was tough, credit to South Africa, they stuck to their strengths there. They had the upper hand in the scrums and took advantage of that.
"Our discipline kind of let us down, not just in the scrums - one area - but in other areas of the field as well. We were probably disappointed with some of the penalties we gave away.
"In saying all of that, to come out in the second half with 12 men, probably played most of the game with 14, to win the second half was incredible character, incredible belief by the boys, by all of us out there to stay in it.
"Despite the score, we still gave ourselves a bit of a shot with 10 minutes to go. Obviously disappointed we couldn't get the try at the end there and have one more crack at them.
"You've got to give them credit, they're world number one for a reason."
