Will Greenwood says it is incorrect to claim rugby has "gone soft" after Manu Tuilagi was cited for a tackle at the weekend.
Leicester centre Tuilagi returned from injury at the weekend but found himself facing the prospect of another lay-off when he was cited following Sunday's 25-16 loss to Munster at Welford Road.
Tuilagi was cited for a tackle on Chris Cloete, in which his shoulder seemed to make contact with the Munster flanker's head.
But the decision was greeted with scorn by some pundits and on social media, and the complaint was dismissed by an independent disciplinary hearing on Wednesday.
But World Cup-winning centre Greenwood told Sky Sports News that the outcry over the decision to cite Tuilagi was unjustified and did not indicate the game is going soft.
Greenwood said: "I watched the game at the time and did not particularly notice a reckless tackle.
"And then social media has gone made, saying 'rugby has gone soft'.
"So I had a look and it is one of those where he goes high, it jars the neck, and it does need looking at."
Greenwood does not dispute the decision to dismiss the complaint but says attempts to make the game safer need to be encouraged.
"I think, in the end, with the camera angles, it is probably the right decision that it does not deserve a red," said Greenwood.
"But I don't think it is right to say rugby has gone soft, if we are looking at these instances. The whole point of the new tackle law is to bring the tackle down below chest height.
"I don't think it warranted a red but I don't agree with the mob who are saying 'rugby has gone soft, why are we looking at tackles like this?'
"If that is my lad and someone drops a shoulder and his head rocks back, I say 'someone needs to look at that'.
"Now that decision has been made, fine. Let's not try and pretend rugby is something that it isn't."