Barrett banned for 'ridiculous' shoulder charge

NEWS: His red card was labelled as ‘ridiculous’ by, amongst others, England coach Eddie Jones. Yet he was still banned.

All Black lock Scott Barrett will miss Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup decider against Australia, after receiving a three-week ban for a shoulder charge during New Zealand’s loss to the Wallabies last weekend.

Barrett was red-carded for his hit on Michael Hooper late in the first half of New Zealand’s 26-47 loss in Perth and was facing up to six weeks on the sidelines.

But the SANZAAR judicial committee reduced the punishment, citing Barrett’s early guilty plea, remorse and exemplary disciplinary record.

“Barrett has been suspended from all forms of the game for three weeks, up to and including Sunday, September 1,” it said in a statement released Tuesday.

While the decision rules Barrett out of the second and deciding Bledisloe Test in Auckland on Saturday, he will be available for New Zealand’s World Cup warm-up against Tonga in Hamilton on September 7.

* Continue reading below video…

“The SANZAAR foul play review committee has accepted a guilty plea from Scott Barrett of New Zealand for contravening Law 9.16: ‘A player must not charge or knock down an opponent carrying the ball without attempting to grasp the player’, after he was Red Carded during a Rugby Championship match at the weekend,” the statement read.

The incident occurred in the 39th minute of the match between Australia and New Zealand played in Perth last Saturday.

The SANZAAR foul play review committee of Adam Casselden (Chairman), Stefan Terblanche and Eroni Clarke assessed the case.

In his finding, foul play review committee Chairman Adam Casselden ruled the following: “Having conducted a detailed review of all the available evidence, including all camera angles and additional evidence, including submissions from his legal representative, Stephen Cottrell, the foul play review committee upheld the Red Card under Law 9.16.”

“With respect to sanction the foul play review committee deemed the act of foul play merited a mid-range entry point of six weeks due to World Rugby instructions that dictate any incident of foul play which results in contact with the head and/or neck must start at a mid-range level.

“However, taking into account mitigating factors including the Player’s exemplary judicial record, his expressed remorse and the fact the Player has pleaded guilty at the first available opportunity, the foul play review committee reduced the suspension to 3 weeks.

“The foul play review committee adjourned the hearing to seek more evidence regarding the Player’s proposed schedule of matches. Upon reconvening the foul play review committee was presented with extensive evidence demonstrating the Player’s intended playing schedule.

“The player is therefore suspended for 3 weeks, up to and including Sunday, September 1.”