Reds may appeal Cooper ban
The Reds are considering lodging an appeal against SANZAR's judicial ruling to suspend flyhalf Quade Cooper over a dangerous tackle charge.
Cooper was handed a one-match suspension following a four-and-a-half hour hearing via video conference under SANZAR Judicial Officer Paul Tully on Monday, which ruled that the playmaker contravened Law 10.4 (e) Dangerous Tackling when he made contact with the chest and neck of Waratahs player Berrick Barnes on Saturday.
Coach Ewen McKenzie and the Reds team have been instructed to focus solely on their preparations for their Super Rugby play-off with the Sharks at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday while Quennsland Rugby Union (QRU) Chairman Rod McCall, CEO Jim Carmichael and their legal representatives consider the judgement.
McCall and Carmichael believe QRU presented a strong case with the necessary evidence during the video conference hearing to argue Cooper's tackle did not reach the red card threshold and therefore did not warrant a suspension.
McCall also believes that there may be a case for an appeal around the process of the hearing.
"We are obviously particularly sensitive to not disrupting the Reds team dynamics and preparation in launching an appeal at this late stage, however by not receiving the formal judgement until 8pm Tuesday after the decision was handed down on Monday evening, time is getting away from us in what was already a short preparation," McCall said.
"Under the current SANZAR protocols if we were to launch an appeal we would lose at least a further day of preparation with Ewen and Quade who would both be required to fly to Sydney for another hearing.
"However we are cognisant of the need to support our player if we feel he has been treated harshly and in our opinion we still strongly believe the tackle did not warrant suspension.
"After taking the advice of legal representatives, the QRU first intends to discuss the matter further with SANZAR before making a decision whether to launch an appeal within the allowed 48-hour period," explained McCall.
