Saracens star learns his fate for high shot on Mapimpi
NEWS: Saracens hooker Theo Dan is free to play this weekend after a citing complaint against him was dismissed.
The 24-year-old received a yellow card for a high tackle on Sharks’ wing Makazole Mapimpi in the 56th minute of last Saturday’s Champions Cup showdown in Durban, in contravention of Law 9.13.
During his disciplinary hearing, Dan accepted that he had committed an act of foul play but did not accept that it warranted a red card.
An independent Disciplinary Committee comprising Jennifer Donovan (Ireland, Chair), Bogdan Zebega (Romania), and Gordon Black (Ireland) agreed “that the offence did not warrant a red card, and the citing complaint was therefore dismissed”.
Meanwhile, Montpellier’s Wallaby hooker Jordan Uelese has been suspended for four weeks.
The ban was handed down following an independent disciplinary hearing arising from the EPCR Challenge Cup, Round Two match against Zebre Parma at Septeo Stadium on Friday.
Uelese was cited by the Citing Commissioner, Dave Guyan (England), for allegedly striking the Zebre Parma replacement, Shilo Klein, with his hand in the 59th minute of the match, in contravention of Law 9.12.
Uelese did not accept that he had committed an act of foul play that warranted a red card.
However, the committee upheld the citing complaint, finding that Uelese had struck Klein in the face with his hand and determined that the offending was at the mid-range of World Rugby’s sanctions and six weeks was selected as the appropriate entry point.
Taking into account the player’s clear disciplinary record, the committee decided to reduce the sanction by two weeks before imposing a four-week suspension.
Uelese is free to play on Monday, January 12. Both the player and EPCR have the right to appeal the decision.
