Aaron Smith’s inflammatory post-match language about being “robbed” by match officials after the Highlanders’ gut-wrenching loss to the Hurricanes may receive attention by New Zealand Rugby’s higher powers over the next few days.

Highlanders lock Josh Dickson is red carded by referee Angus Mabey during his team's loss to the Hurricanes in Dunedin on Saturday. (Source: Getty)

But, a week after Ardie Savea’s more diplomatic spray at the officials following the Hurricanes’ controversial defeat to the Crusaders, it appears Smith may have had a point, as did Savea.

“We’re getting robbed all the time,” Smith said on Saturday after his team fought back from a 17-6 deficit to lose 22-21 in Dunedin.

“We had a red card for a contact to the head and one of our guys blatantly gets a black eye and touchies and refs just walk it off like it’s nothing. So, all we want is consistency as players and we’re just getting no rub of the green at the moment. It’s hard to swallow.”

Highlanders lock Josh Dickson’s red card midway through the first half for his high tackle on Hurricanes prop Tevita Mafileo was a straightforward decision for referee Angus Mabey and his officials.

Dickson's shoulder made direct contact with Mafileo's head, there were no mitigating circumstances, and Mafileo lay prone on the pitch before being taken off for a head injury assessment.

The incident was similar to the one which ended in Crusaders lock Scott Barrett being shown a red card during his team’s 27-23 loss to the Blues in Christchurch the night before.

But in the 78th minute of a match which finished in a disallowed try for the Highlanders, loose forward Gareth Evans reacted to a challenge in a maul by Hurricanes hooker Asafo Aumua – a hit with a shoulder which may have struck Evans in the face – which left Evans with a black eye and needing a head injury assessment.

Evans is not one to usually make a fuss about the physical stuff. At the very end of the first half he was pinned in a ruck and Hurricanes lock Isaia Walker-Leawere drove his shoulder into Evans’ exposed back – a potential foul play incident worthy of a second look but apparently not spotted by television match official Aaron Patterson.

A rampaging Julian Savea makes a break for the Hurricanes against the Highlanders in Dunedin. (Source: Getty)

Afterwards, Evans eyeballed Walker-Leawere but didn’t react otherwise, an indication that he’s no shrinking violet.

In the case of Evans’ reaction to Aumua’s shoulder, an incident which occurred near the halfway line with the seconds ticking down, it’s a mystery as to why it wasn’t considered worthy of further investigation by the officials.

Referee Mabey, to his credit, asked Patterson as play went on and Evans continued to receive medical assistance: “Do we need an official look? No, you’re happy with it? Play on.”

Mabey continued to the Highlanders players: “We’ve cleared it, there’s no foul play.”

Except, there may have been evidence of it had Patterson asked for more camera angles. The Dickson incident attracted several and in slow motion. Certainly, there was no evidence during the broadcast of Patterson asking for more angles for the Aumua incident.

At the very end of the match, as the Highlanders chased an improbable victory, Aumua was a big part of the defensive effort which denied prop Saula Ma'u what would have been the winning try.

Highlanders skipper Smith is not usually one to look for others to blame, but his frustration after failing to lead his team to what would have been only their second win of the season, was understandable.

It may also lead to a crackdown by New Zealand Rugby on players using Sky Television's usually benign post-match interviews as platforms to vent such frustrations.

That would be a shame as such honesty is likely appreciated by the vast majority of viewers.

And while more red cards for contacts with the head are also understandable given the desire by the game's rulers to make it safer, more consistency on investigating such incidents would likewise also be appreciated by not only the viewers but also, clearly, the players.

As for Savea, who asked for, but did not receive, further investigation into how the Crusaders stopped a crucial lineout drive in the dying moments a week earlier in Wellington, his reaction to Ma'u's claim for a try being ruled out was also heartfelt and honest, if far less controversial.

“That call could have gone either way – I’m just grateful we got that call,” Savea said.