Season-ending blows for Wasps and Gloucester

DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: Wasps prop Ben Morris and Gloucester lock Matias Alemanno will miss the remainder of the 2020/21 Premiership campaign after each player was given a three-match ban following red-carded tackles.

Morris was shown a red card by referee Ian Tempest in the 58th minute of Wasps’ win last Saturday over Worcester while Alemanno was sent off by referee Craig Maxwell-Keys in the 16th minute of Gloucester’s Monday loss at Bristol.

Both players accepted the charge against them and were each given a three-week suspension by the independent disciplinary panel comprising Charles Cuthbert  [chair], Bobby Graham and Tony Wheat. Each player is free to play again on June 15, by which stage their clubs will have played the final three games of the regular season.

A statement on the Morris decision read: “The panel considered the case on the papers and had regard to the video footage, the written submissions from Wasps and from the RFU. The panel agreed with the submissions that the appropriate entry point for this tackle was mid-range.

“There was direct contact between head and shoulder and while there had been another Wasps player involved in the tackle, the player accepted that the other Wasps player’s involvement had not had a material impact on the height of the Worcester player.

“The player accepted the charge as soon as he was able, has a clear disciplinary record and the club positively engaged in the disciplinary process. The panel considered that the totality of his mitigation ought to allow him the maximum 50 per cent reduction from the entry point. He is therefore suspended for a period of three weeks.”

With regards to Alemanno, the statement continued: “The panel considered the written submissions from Gloucester and the RFU. Noting that tip tackles cases do not require a mandatory mid-range entry point [due to head contact already being a feature of the offending] the panel considered that low end was the appropriate entry. The tackle was reckless, not intentional, it had simply occurred as a result of poor tackle technique and there was no injury caused to the Bristol player.

“The player had accepted the charge at the earliest opportunity and has a clear disciplinary record. In addition, he apologised to the Bristol player on-field and again off-field. In all of the circumstances, the panel allowed the maximum mitigation of 50 percent.”

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