Black Ferns Scrum-Half Suspended

New Zealand Women's Rugby scrum-half Iritana Hohaia has been suspended for three matches having received a red card in New Zealand’s match against USA on the final day of the World Rugby Pacific Four Series on 14 July.

 

New Zealand scrum-half Iritana Hohaia appeared before an independent Disciplinary Committee on 25 July 2023, having received a red card in New Zealand’s match against USA on the final day of the World Rugby Pacific Four Series on 14 July, for an offence contrary to Law 9.13 (dangerous tackle). The independent Disciplinary Committee was chaired by Brenda Heather-Latu, joined by panel members John Langford and Leon Lloyd.

The player accepted that foul play occurred and that the offending warranted a red card. The Committee noted that the offence carries a mandatory mid-range sanction (six matches) and having considered the mitigating factors reduced the sanction by the maximum mitigation of 50 per cent. The final sanction is three matches as follows:

• 29 July 2023 – FPC Round 3 – Otago v Taranaki
• 4 August 2023 – FPC Round 4 – Taranaki v Tasman
• 12 August 2023 – FPC Round 5 – Northland v Taranaki*

*The player intends to apply to take part in the World Rugby Coaching Intervention Programme to substitute the final match of the sanction for a coaching intervention aimed at modifying specific techniques and technical issues that contributed to the foul play.