Horwill gets just one week

SANZAR's consistency in dealing with judicial matters will once again come under the spotlight, after Reds lock James Horwill was given a slap on the wrist for an act of thuggery.

Horwill was suspended for just one week by judicial officer Nicholas Davidson for a punch to the head of an opponent in the 15-23 loss to the Rebels on Friday.

The former Wallaby skipper will miss the Reds' match against the Bulls in Pretoria next weekend, which is the first game of Queensland's two-week tour to South Africa.

Horwill pleaded guilty to striking Rebels prop Paul Alo-Emile after he was shown a red card in the 21st minute of Friday's match.

Davidson said he rejected the Reds' claim for a lower entry point for a sanction due to the strike causing no injury.

However, he said Horwill's good disciplinary record over his long rugby career as well as his apology to Alo-Emile reduced the penalty from two weeks to one.

This will fly in the face of SANZA's claims that they are consistent, given that Horwill was already given two yellow cards this season, before Friday's red card.

"I found this was a strike with a swinging arm to the back of neck of Rebels player, Paul Alo-Emile," Davidson  said.

"The explanation that the arm was used to gain momentum at the breakdown was not tenable. There was no attempt to engage.

"The strike was of no effect with no injury to the Rebels player.

"This was in summary, an ineffectual strike other than its impact on the game as Horwill was red carded in the 21st minute of the match.

"A submission that this was relevant to setting a lower entry point for sanction was rejected. There is an adverse effect on the game as a whole following a red card.  

"Horwill has attracted media attention in the disciplinary context, but his actual transgressions are few despite over 100 Super Rugby games and 59 Test matches for Australia.

"He had one off field yellow card [now citing commissioner warning] in 2013 and came before the SANZAR Judiciary in 2015 for two yellow cards in the same match for technical breaches.

Nothing was added for aggravating factors and in mitigation, he is entitled to some allowance for his acceptance of the indicated sanction and his recognition that this was clearly unacceptable for which he apologised to the Rebels player and also during the hearing.

"In the circumstances, the two-week entry point is reduced to one week and Horwill is suspended up to and including Saturday 11 April 2015."