Tekori cleared for Champions Cup semi-final

Toulouse forward Joe Tekori has been cleared at a French disciplinary hearing to play for Toulouse in Sunday’s Champions Cup semi-final against Leinster.

The Samoan International was cited following a yellow card in last weekend’s Top 14 win over Clermont. 

However, while French disciplinary regulations said he was free to continue playing before the citing case would be heard, EPCR stipulate that no player who has been cited in their domestic league can play in Europe until their hearing has been taken care of.

This was the Joe Tekori yellow card.

No ban as disciplinary committee felt he had made best effort to drop down into the tackle and wrap his arms.

Also that the Clermont player was dipping into position to score the try, "which is a mitigating factor." pic.twitter.com/nO4loyN5cf

— Murray Kinsella (@Murray_Kinsella) April 18, 2019

This resulted in the Top 14 agreeing to bring forward Tekori’s hearing to Thursday in Paris and its outcome has resulted in the forward being cleared to take part in the Aviva Stadium semi-final.

A statement released after the hearing verdict, the disciplinary committee reported: “After viewing the video images of the action in question, hearing the player and examining his arguments in line with the commission’s analysis of criteria on acts of unfair play, the committee decided that there was no need for disciplinary action against Mr Iosefa Tekori.

“The disciplinary and by-laws committee found that Mr Tekori committed an act of foul play that did not pass the red card test.

“He made the best efforts to perform a regular tackle by stooping and using his arms while his opponent, who was in a position to score a try, had stooped at the same time which is a mitigating factor against the criteria of the red card test. The player is therefore qualified to participate in the semi-final of the Champions Cup.”