Reds star learns his fate for tripping
DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: Reds wing Suliasi Vunivalu will miss his team’s derby clash against the Western Force after copping a one-game suspension.
His pair of trips earned him a red card in the defeat to Fijian Drua.
Vunivalu was first shown a yellow card by referee Angus Gardner in the fifth minute after he tripped Drua flank Kitione Salawa with his right leg.
The Reds wing was shown a second yellow card in the second half after referee Gardner consulted TMO Brett Cronan about another incident of potential four play.
Vunivalu was seen to have met the threshold for another yellow in the 45th minute which subsequently saw the player sent off for the remainder of the Round 13 clash in Suva.
The pressure just got too much for Suliasi Vunivalu as he faced the Fijians 😬
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In his finding, SANZAAR Foul Play Review Committee (FPRC) Chairman Stephen Hardy ruled as follows:
“Having conducted a detailed review of all the available evidence, including all camera angles and additional evidence, including submissions by the player, the Foul Play Review Committee upheld the red card and found the player to have contravened Law 9.12.
“The FPRC assessed the Player’s actions as including two separate foul play actions of tripping.
“The FPRC have found these actions as amounting to persistent offending under law 9.12, which warrants an entry point suspension of two weeks.
“The player was given a 50 percent discount for entering an early guilty plea [and other relevant mitigating factors including remorse and prior disciplinary record], reducing the suspension from two weeks to one week.
“The player is therefore suspended up to and including 25 May 2024.”
*Meanwhile, following initial consideration by the Super Rugby Pacific Foul Play Review Committee, Reuben O’Neill of the Chiefs will appear at a hearing after being cited for alleged foul play during a Super Rugby Pacific match at the weekend.
O’Neill is alleged to have contravened Law 9.12: A player must not physically abuse anyone, during the match between the Rebels and Chiefs in Melbourne.
The Judicial Committee for the Hearing will be Helen Morgan (Chair), Chris Smith and David Croft which will be held by video conference on Wednesday.
