Du Toit and Dupont learn their fates after seeing red

NEWS: Springbok superstar Pieter-Steph du Toit and France captain Antoine Dupont both received their suspensions on Thursday after acts of foul play last weekend.

Both players received red cards in France’s 30-26 win over the Boks in Marseille.

Du Toit was sent off in the 12th minute of that match for a dangerous ruck cleanout on Jonathan Danty.

After appearing before an independent judicial committee via video link on Wednesday, Du Toit was given a three-match ban.

In his hearing, Du Toit denied that he committed a red-card offence.

“The independent Disciplinary Committee chaired by Stephen Hardy [Australia], joined by former international coach Frank Hadden [Scotland] and former international John Langford [Australia], heard the case, considering all available evidence, including multiple broadcast angles and submissions from the player and his representative,” said the disciplinary statement.

“The judicial committee considered and accepted submissions from the player’s representative that the charge be amended to Law 9.11 [players must not do anything that is reckless or dangerous to others including leading with the elbow or forearm].

“The player denied that he had committed an act of foul play worthy of a red card. However, having reviewed all available evidence and the submissions made by the player and his representative prior to and during the hearing, the judicial committee determined that the player had committed an act of foul play worthy of a red card, having regard to the process set out within World Rugby’s Head Contact Process.

“The Disciplinary Committee found the player’s offending to be ‘reckless’ [and not intentional or deliberate], and although there were some external factors identified with respect to the incident, they were not, on the evidence before the judicial committee, of a sufficient degree to justify a reclassification of the offending to below a red card.

“Given the player’s offending involved head contact with an opposition player, the judicial committee applied World Rugby’s mandatory minimum mid-range entry point for foul play in breach of Law 9.11 resulting in contact with the head. This resulted in a starting point of a six-week/match suspension.

“Having acknowledged mitigating factors including the player’s evidence of remorse, contrition, exemplary prior disciplinary record and conduct during the hearing, the judicial committee reduced the six-week/match entry point by three weeks/matches, resulting in a sanction of three weeks/matches.

It means Du Toit has been banned for the Italy and England matches with one more match still to be confirmed.

Dupont’s ban

Meanwhile, Dupont has been banned for four games.

He was sent off after he took out Cheslin Kolbe in the air in that same match.

Dupont’s case was heard by the same independent Disciplinary Committee panel that was used in Du Toit’s case.

“The player admitted that he had committed an act of foul play worthy of a red card,” said the disciplinary statement.

“Having reviewed all available evidence and considering the submissions made by the player and his representative, the Disciplinary Committee deemed that the player’s act was ‘reckless’ [and not intentional or deliberate].

“Given the player’s offending involved head contact with an opposition player, the Disciplinary Committee applied World Rugby’s mandatory minimum mid-range entry point for foul play in breach of Law 9.17 resulting in contact with the head. This resulted in a starting point of an eight-week/match suspension for a breach of Law 9.17.

“Having acknowledged mitigating factors including the player’s evidence of remorse, contrition, exemplary prior disciplinary record and conduct during the hearing, the Disciplinary Committee reduced the eight-week/match entry point by four weeks/matches, resulting in a sanction of four weeks/matches.

Dupont will miss the following matches:

• November Series
  France vs Japan – November 20
• Top 14 (LNR)
  Lyon vs Toulouse – November 27
  Toulouse vs Perpignan – December 3
• Champions Cup (EPCR)
  Munster vs Toulouse – December 11

Du Toit and Dupont will be able to appeal within 48 hours of the issuing of the full written decisions.