Saints centre suspended for tackle on Leyds
DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: Northampton Saints centre Fraser Dingwall has been suspended for three weeks for a dangerous tackle on Dillyn Leyds (Stade Rochelais) in Round Four of the Champions Cup at the Cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens.
Referee Andrea Piardi (Italy) showed Dingwall the red card in the 39th minute of the match for the dangerous manner in which he tackled Leyds which is contravention of Law 9.13, which states that a player must not tackle an opponent dangerously.
Under World Rugby’s Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 9.13 relating to dangerous tackling carries the following sanction entry points – Low End: two weeks; mid-range: six weeks; Top end: 10 to 52 weeks.
An independent Disciplinary Committee comprising Declan Goodwin (Wales), Chair, Nigel Williams (Wales) and Tembelani Hebert Mayosi (South Africa) heard submissions from Dingwall, who accepted the red card decision, from the Northampton Saints, Team Manager, Maurice Hartery, and from the EPCR Disciplinary Officer, Liam McTiernan.
The committee upheld the red card decision, finding that in carrying out the tackle in a dangerous manner, Dingwall had made contact with Leyds’ head. It then determined that the offending was at the mid-range of World Rugby’s sanctions and six weeks was selected as the appropriate entry point.
As the player has a clear disciplinary record, and as there were no aggravating factors, it was decided to grant him the full 50 percent mitigation and the committee therefore reduced the sanction by three weeks before imposing a three-week suspension.
Dingwall is free to play on Monday, 20 February due to Northampton Saints’ fixture schedule, however, if he applies for and successfully completes a World Rugby Coaching Intervention, he will be free to play on Monday, 13 February.
Meanwhile, Northampton Saints lock, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, has been suspended for four weeks for striking Paul Boudehent of Stade Rochelais. Boudehent was sent off by referee Piardi (Italy) in the 81st minute of the match. It was deemed dangerous in contravention of Law 9.11.
Under World Rugby’s Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 9.11 relating to dangerous play, leading with the forearm, carries the following sanction entry points – Low End: two weeks; Mid-range: six weeks; Top end: 10 to 52 weeks.
An independent Disciplinary Committee comprising Kathrine Mackie (Scotland), Chair, Tony Wheat (Ireland) and Marcello d’Orey (Portugal) heard submissions from Salakaia-Loto, who accepted the red card decision, from the Northampton Saints, Team Manager, Maurice Hartery, and from the EPCR Disciplinary Officer, Liam McTiernan.
The committee upheld the red card decision, finding that Salakaia-Loto had been guilty of a reckless act of foul play. It then determined that the offending was at the mid-range of World Rugby’s sanctions and six weeks was selected as the appropriate entry point.
Due to the player’s good disciplinary record and acceptance of the red card, the committee reduced the sanction by two weeks before imposing a four-week suspension.
Salakaia-Loto is free to play on Monday, 27 February due to Northampton Saints’ fixture schedule, however, if he applies for and successfully completes a World Rugby Coaching Intervention, he will be free to play on Monday, 20 February.
Feibyan-Cornell Tukino, the No.8 of Castres Olympique, has been suspended for three weeks following an independent Disciplinary Hearing arising from their match against Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park.
Tukino was sent off by the referee, Andrew Brace (Ireland), after 37 minutes of the match for tackling Exeter Chiefs prop, James Kenny, in a dangerous manner in contravention of Law 9.13.
Under World Rugby’s Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 9.13 relating to dangerous tackling carries the following sanction entry points – Low End: two weeks; mid-range: six weeks; Top end: 10 to 52 weeks.
An independent Disciplinary Committee comprising Sam Hillas KC (England), Chair, Frank Hadden (Scotland) and John Greenwood (England) heard submissions from Tukino, who accepted the red card decision, from the Castres Olympique Chief Executive, Matthias Rolland, and from the EPCR Disciplinary Officer, Liam McTiernan.
The committee upheld the red card decision, finding that Tukino had tackled Kenny in a dangerous manner that warranted a sending off. It then determined that the offending was at the mid-range of World Rugby’s sanctions and six weeks was selected as the appropriate entry point.
As the player has a clear disciplinary record, and as there were no aggravating factors, it was decided to grant him the full 50% mitigation and the committee therefore reduced the sanction by three weeks before imposing a three-week suspension.
Tukino is free to play on Monday, 20 February due to Castres Olympique’s fixture schedule, however, if he applies for and successfully completes a World Rugby Coaching Intervention, he will be free to play on Monday, 6 February.
Complaint dismissed
Bath flyhalf, Piers Francis, has had a citing complaint against him dismissed following an independent Disciplinary Hearing arising from his club’s clash with Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun.
Francis was cited by the match Citing Commissioner, Gabriele Pezzano (Italy), for allegedly tackling the Glasgow Warriors centre, Sione Tuipulotu, in a dangerous manner in the 42nd minute of the match in contravention of Law 9.13.
Under World Rugby’s Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 9.13 relating to dangerous tackling carries the following sanction entry points – low end: two weeks; Mid-range: six weeks; Top end: 10 to 52 weeks.
An independent Disciplinary Committee comprising Jean-Noel Couraud (France), Chair, Donal Courtney (Ireland) and Val Toma (Romania) heard submissions from Francis, who accepted that he had committed an act of foul play but that it did not warrant a red card, from the player’s legal representative, Simon Pritchard, from the Bath Rugby Team Manager, Fran Leighton, and from the EPCR Disciplinary Officer, Liam McTiernan.
The committee decided that while Francis had committed an act of foul play, it did not warrant a sending off. The citing complaint was therefore dismissed and he is free to play.
Citing Commissioner Warning
Prop, Antoine Tichit, has been issued with a Citing Commissioner Warning arising from Castres Olympique’s match against the Exeter Chiefs on Saturday, 21 January 2023.
The warning was for leading with the forearm into the neck/throat area of the Exeter Chiefs player, Sam Simmonds, in the ninth minute of the match in contravention of Law 9.12. The match Citing Commissioner was Eugene Ryan (Ireland).
Citing Commissioner Warning – Sebastian De Chaves (Newcastle Falcons)
Newcastle Falcons second row, Sebastian De Chaves, has been issued with a Citing Commissioner Warning arising from the Falcons’ game against Connacht Rugby on Saturday, 21 January 2023.
The warning was for making contact with the Connacht Rugby replacement hooker, Dylan Tierney-Martin, above the line of the shoulders in a dangerous manner in contravention of Law 9.20(b). The match Citing Commissioner was Richard McGhee (Scotland).
