Steve Hansen has admitted the Fekitoa challenge was 'clumsy', but has defended Cane after his collision with Robbie Henshaw.

Leinster centre Henshaw was removed from the field on a stretcher and faces further concussion checks, remaining a doubt ahead of Ireland's final autumn clash with Australia on Saturday.

Oh they are what they are,” Hansen said about the citings. “[Fekitoa]’s challenge was clumsy and high, but we will defend Sam’s - we believe it was a head clash.

“We can understand why the citing commissioner wants to cite it, a guy got knocked out. We’ll go there and get a good hearing, I’m hoping, and go from there.”

Ireland were stunned that New Zealand flanker Cane was merely penalised for his challenge on Henshaw.

"What? A penalty? But the player's on the stretcher," Ireland fly-half Johnny Sexton told referee Jaco Peyper on the field.

The performances of Peyper and television match official (TMO) Jon Mason will come under renewed scrutiny should either Fekitoa or Cane be handed further punishment.

The complexion of Ireland's contest with New Zealand would doubtless have been vastly altered had the back-to-back world champion All Blacks lost one or even two players to red cards.

Ireland boss Joe Schmidt refused to comment on referee Pepyer's performance in the wake of his side's loss in Dublin. But Ireland were clearly frustrated by a number of Peyper's rulings throughout a Test match of the highest ferocity.