VIDEO: Cheetahs' ill-discipline a costly affair
DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: Just weeks after Cheetahs centre Nico Lee’s 13-week suspension, another star has been handed a hefty ban.
This time, Cheetahs prop Ox Nche has been handed an eight-week suspension for an incident which occurred against Leinster in a Pro14 match last Friday.
The complaint refers to an incident involving Leinster No.11 (Fergus McFadden) in the ninth minute of the fixture at the RDS Arena (Dublin) for which he was shown a yellow card by referee Nigel Owens.
The player was reported by the Citing Commissioner in charge for alleged infringement of Law 9.12 – A player must not physically abuse anyone and Law 9.25 – A player must not intentionally charge or obstruct an opponent who has just kicked the ball.
The prop faced a Disciplinary Committee via video conference, the Committee comprised of Sheriff Kathrine Mackie, Roddy MacLeod and Jennifer Rae (All Scotland).
The Committee concluded that the player had committed an act of foul play involving contact to the head.
In upholding the Citing Complaint, the Disciplinary Committee deemed that the offence merited a red card under Law 9.12 (Striking with the shoulder) and that the contact to the head was intentional with a top-end entry point of 10 weeks.
The Committee took into account the Player’s previously clean disciplinary record and his good conduct and applied 20 percent mitigation which reduces the ban to eight weeks.
To ensure the eight-week ban accounts for meaningful matches played by the Cheetahs in the PRO14 and the Currie Cup the player will be free to play from Sunday, May 19.
