Taulagi gets 10-week ban for 'dangerous tackle'

DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: Samoa international Jamie-Jerry Taulagi was hit with a 10-week suspension after being sent off during Agen’s European Challenge Cup defeat to Benetton Treviso.

In a statement, European Professional Club Rugby said that Taulagi’s red card for a dangerous tackle on Benetton centre Marco Zanon in the 16-29 loss last Saturday had been upheld and that it was considered “at the top end of World Rugby’s sanctions”.

“Taulagi had made contact with Zanon’s head in a dangerous manner, which caused the Benetton player to be removed from the field of play with a suspected concussion,” the statement said.

EPCR added that the 27-year-old’s ban had been dropped to 10 weeks from 14 “taking into account the player’s guilty plea and early expression of remorse”.

The end of Taulagi’s suspension will be confirmed once Agen’s remaining six French Top 14 fixtures have been fully scheduled.

Agen is bottom of the division with just two points from 20 matches.

TJ Ioane suspended for five weeks

In another Challenge Cup hearing Glasgow Warriors replacement back row TJ Ioane was suspended for five weeks, his club’s Round of 16 match against Montpellier.

Ioane was sent off by the referee, Karl Dickson (England), in the 58th minute of the match for tackling the Montpellier replacement, Yvan Reilhac, in a dangerous manner in contravention of Law 9.13.

The disciplinary committee upheld the red card decision, finding that Ioane had made contact with Reilhac’s head in a dangerous manner.

It then determined that the offence was at the mid-range of World Rugby’s sanctions and selected six weeks as the appropriate entry point.

Taking into account the player’s guilty plea, the committee reduced the sanction by one week, before imposing a five-week suspension which will be served once Glasgow Warriors’ forthcoming fixtures in the Rainbow Cup are scheduled.

Both Ioane and EPCR have the right to appeal the decision.

Will Goodrick-Clarke suspended for three weeks

London Irish prop Will Goodrick-Clarke was suspended for three weeks – a hearing arising from his club’s Challenge Cup Round of 16 match against the Cardiff Blues.

Goodrick-Clarke was sent off by the referee, Nika Amashukeli (Georgia), in the 46th minute of the match for tackling the Cardiff Blues prop, Dillon Lewis, in a dangerous manner in contravention of Law 9.13.

The committee upheld the red card decision, finding that Goodrick-Clarke had made contact with Lewis’s head in a dangerous manner.

It then determined that the offence was at the mid-range of World Rugby’s sanctions and selected six weeks as the appropriate entry point.

Taking into account the player’s guilty plea, timely expression of remorse and good disciplinary record, the committee reduced the sanction by the maximum amount of 50 percent before imposing a three-week suspension.

Goodrick-Clarke is free to play on Monday, 26 April and both he and EPCR have the right to appeal the decision.