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NSW Waratahs prop Angus Bell has escaped suspension after being issued with a warning for his red card in Saturday's Super Rugby Pacific clash with the Chiefs.

NSW Waratahs prop Angus Bell is free to face the Crusaders on Saturday after escaping suspension for a lifting tackle on Chiefs flanker Sam Cane.

Bell was red-carded just two minutes into last Saturday's 51-27 Super Rugby Pacific loss to the Chiefs in Melbourne.

But the SANZAAR Foul Play Review Committee only issued Bell with a warning after examining the tackle, which referee Nick Berry alleged was "dangerous" with "no mitigation".

"He (Cane) lands on his head. I'm on red," Berry told the television match official on Saturday.

But committee chairman Michael Heron QC deemed the act of foul play merited a "warning as it was close to, but did not breach the red card threshold".

"The Foul Play Review Committee deemed that the significant involvement of other players contributed to the incident which produced mitigating factors," he said.

The seventh-placed Waratahs host the third-placed Crusaders at Leichhardt Oval in another key trans-Tasman battle.

Waratahs assistant Chris Whitaker said the nature of a highly contested sport like rugby meant there would always be contentious calls when policing dangerous play.

"Even this one with Angus you can argue either way, but you have to accept it," he said.

"Whether it was a red or it wasn't it, the fact he lifted him put him in the view of the refs."

Whitaker said there had been stark improvement since the corresponding fixtures last year.

"We've faced a fair bit of adversity on the weekend as we'd lost our first three line-out throwers, but the way they adapted to get back to 30-27 we were pretty proud," he said.

He said hookers Dave Porecki and Tom Horton were still to clear their concussion protocols and be confirmed starters to face the Crusaders.