Three suspensions from the weekend's European round of 16 clashes
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The EPCR have confirmed three suspensions following the weekend's action in the Challenge and Champions Cup.
All three are the results of red cards with all three coming in the Challenge Cup. Glasgow's TJ Ioane has been suspended for five weeks, London Irish prop Will Goodrick-Clarke for three weeks and Agen's Jamie-Jerry Taulagi for 10 weeks.
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TJ Ioane suspended for five weeks
The Glasgow Warriors replacement back row, TJ Ioane, has been suspended for five weeks following an independent Disciplinary Hearing arising from his club’s Challenge Cup, Round of 16 match against Montpellier at the GGL Stadium.
Ioane was sent off by the referee, Karl Dickson (England), in the 58th minute of the match for tackling the Montpellier replacement, Yvan Reilhac, in a dangerous manner in contravention of Law 9.13.
Law 9.13 A player must not tackle an opponent dangerously
Under World Rugby’s Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 9.13 relating to dangerous tackling carries the following sanction entry points - Low End: 2 weeks; Mid-range: 6 weeks; Top end: 10 to 52 weeks.
An independent Disciplinary Committee comprising Jennifer Donovan (Ireland), Chair, Martyn Wood (England) and Yannick Jauzion (France) considered video imagery of the incident and heard evidence and submissions from the player, who accepted the red card decision, from the Glasgow Warriors Team Manager, Kenny Brown, and the EPCR Disciplinary Officer, Liam McTiernan.
The Committee upheld the red card decision, finding that Ioane had made contact with Reilhac’s head in a dangerous manner. It then determined that the offence was at the mid-range of World Rugby’s sanctions and selected six weeks as the appropriate entry point.
Taking into account the player’s guilty plea, the Committee reduced the sanction by one week before imposing a five-week suspension which will be served once Glasgow Warriors’ forthcoming fixtures in the Rainbow Cup are scheduled. Both Ioane and EPCR have the right to appeal the decision.
Will Goodrick-Clarke suspended for three weeks
The London Irish prop, Will Goodrick-Clarke, has been suspended for three weeks following an independent Disciplinary Hearing arising from his club’s Challenge Cup, Round of 16 match against the Cardiff Blues at Brentford Community Stadium.
Goodrick-Clarke was sent off by the referee, Nika Amashukeli (Georgia), in the 46th minute of the match for tackling the Cardiff Blues prop, Dillon Lewis, in a dangerous manner in contravention of Law 9.13.
Law 9.13 A player must not tackle an opponent dangerously
Under World Rugby’s Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 9.13 relating to dangerous tackling carries the following sanction entry points - Low End: 2 weeks; Mid-range: 6 weeks; Top end: 10 to 52 weeks.
Roderick Dunlop (Scotland), Chair, Antony Wheat (England) and Jamie Corsi (Wales) considered video imagery of the incident and heard evidence and submissions from the player, who accepted the red card decision, from the London Irish Director of Rugby, Declan Kidney, the London Irish Team Manager, Alex James, and the EPCR Disciplinary Officer, Liam McTiernan.
The Committee upheld the red card decision, finding that Goodrick-Clarke had made contact with Lewis’s head in a dangerous manner. It then determined that the offence was at the mid-range of World Rugby’s sanctions and selected six weeks as the appropriate entry point.
Taking into account the player’s guilty plea, timely expression of remorse and good disciplinary record, the Committee reduced the sanction by the maximum amount of 50% before imposing a three-week suspension.
Goodrick-Clarke is free to play on Monday, 26 April and both he and EPCR have the right to appeal the decision.
Jamie-Jerry Taulagi suspended for 10 weeks
The Agen wing, Jamie-Jerry Taulagi, has been suspended for 10 weeks following an independent Disciplinary Hearing arising from his club’s Challenge Cup, Round of 16 match against Benetton Rugby at Stadio Monigo.
Taulagi was sent off by the referee, Christophe Ridley (England), in the 62nd minute of the match for tackling the Benetton centre, Marco Zanon, in a dangerous manner in contravention of Law 9.13.
Law 9.13 A player must not tackle an opponent dangerously
Under World Rugby’s Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 9.13 relating to dangerous tackling carries the following sanction entry points - Low End: 2 weeks; Mid-range: 6 weeks; Top end: 10 to 52 weeks.
Matthew O’Grady (England), Chair, Gordon Black (Ireland) and Declan Goodwin (Wales) considered video imagery of the incident and heard evidence and submissions from the player, who accepted the red card decision, from the Agen Team Manager, Julie Huchet, and the EPCR Disciplinary Officer, Liam McTiernan.
The Committee upheld the red card decision, finding that Taulagi had made contact with Zanon’s head in a dangerous manner which caused the Benetton player to be removed from the field of play with a suspected concussion. At the time of the hearing, Zanon was undergoing the Graduated Return to Play protocols and did not have a date for his return to training.
It was then determined that the offence was at the top end of World Rugby’s sanctions and 14 weeks was selected as the appropriate entry point. Taking into account the player’s guilty plea and early expression of remorse, the Committee reduced the sanction by four weeks before imposing a 10-week suspension.
The exact date of the completion of the suspension will be clarified once all Agen’s remaining fixtures in the TOP 14 are scheduled. Both Taulagi and EPCR have the right to appeal the decision.
