HEINEKEN CHAMPIONS CUP

Citing complaint – Dan Fish (Cardiff Rugby)

EPCR has received a citing complaint against the Cardiff Rugby fly half, Dan Fish (No 10), arising from his club’s Heineken Champions Cup Round 2 match against Harlequins at the Twickenham Stoop on Saturday, 18 December 2021.

Fish is alleged to have made contact in a dangerous manner with the head of the Harlequins full back, Tyrone Green (No 15), in the 80th minute of the match in contravention of Law 9.16. The complaint was made by the match Citing Commissioner, Ciaran Scally (Ireland).

Law 9.16 A player must not charge or knock down an opponent carrying the ball without attempting to grasp that player.
Under World Rugby’s Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 9.16 carries the following sanction entry points - Low End: 2 weeks; Mid-range: 6 weeks; Top end: 10 to 52 weeks.

Gareth Graham (England), Chair, Tony Wheat (England) and Yannick Jauzion (France) have been appointed as the independent Disciplinary Committee for the hearing which will take place by video conference tomorrow (Thursday, 23 December).

Bath Rugby to appeal Will Muir decision

Bath Rugby have lodged an appeal against the four-week suspension imposed on Will Muir by an independent Disciplinary Committee arising from the club’s Heineken Champions Cup Round 1 match against Leinster Rugby at the Aviva Stadium.

Muir was found to have made contact in a reckless manner with the eye of Leinster’s Josh van der Flier in the 14th minute of the match by the committee in contravention of Law 9.12.

Law 9.12 A player must not physically abuse anyone. Physical abuse includes contact with the eye.
Under World Rugby’s Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 9.12, contact with the eye, carries the following sanction entry points - Low End: 6 weeks; Mid-range: 12 weeks; Top end: 18 to 208 weeks.

Pamela Woodman (Scotland), Chair, Jamie Corsi (Wales) and Donal Courtney (Ireland) have been appointed as the independent Appeal Committee to hear the appeal by video conference tomorrow (Thursday, 23 December).

EPCR CHALLENGE CUP

EPCR to appeal Daniel Ramsay decision

EPCR has lodged an appeal against the dismissal of a citing complaint against the Section Paloise second row, Daniel Ramsay, by an independent Disciplinary Committee.

The complaint arose from the EPCR Challenge Cup Round 1 fixture between Section Paloise and London Irish at the Stade du Hameau following which Ramsay was cited by the match Citing Commissioner, Gary Gordon (Scotland), for making contact with the eye of the London Irish second row, Rob Simmons, in the 44th minute in contravention of Law 9.12.

Law 9.12 A player must not physically abuse anyone. Physical abuse includes contact with the eye.
Under World Rugby’s Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 9.12, contact with the eye, carries the following sanction entry points - Low End: 6 weeks; Mid-range: 12 weeks; Top end: 18 to 208 weeks.

The Disciplinary Committee dismissed the complaint on the basis that although Ramsay had made contact with Simmons’ eye or eye area, his actions did not warrant a red card.

Antony Davies (England), Chair, Roger Morris (Wales) and Gordon Black (Ireland) have been appointed as the independent Appeal Committee to hear the appeal by video conference tomorrow (Thursday, 23 December).

Notes

(i) Red Cards
a) The case of any player sent off in Heineken Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup matches shall be adjudicated by an independent Disciplinary Committee or an independent Judicial Officer as soon as is practicable.
b) Until the hearing the player is ineligible to play in any tournament.
(ii) Citing Commissioner
a) Citing Commissioners are appointed by EPCR for all Heineken Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup matches and shall be entitled to cite a player for any act or acts of Foul Play that in the Citing Commissioner's opinion warranted a red card.
b) For such matches, clubs will not have the power to cite a player but may refer incidents to the Citing Commissioner within 26 hours of the start of the match.
c) The Citing Commissioner will have 50 hours from the start of the match to make a citing. In certain circumstances this deadline can be extended.
d) The tournament Disciplinary Officer may forward the submitted citing to a Citing Officer to determine whether there are sufficient grounds for the citing to progress.
e) The Disciplinary Officer will then bring a charge against the cited player.
(iii) Disciplinary Hearing
a) The independent Disciplinary Committee or independent Judicial Officer are chosen by the chairman of the independent Disciplinary Panel, Mike Hamlin.
b) EPCR's Disciplinary Officer presents the case against the player.
c) If a decision is upheld, the Disciplinary Committee or Judicial Officer will be required to consider the appropriate sanction under World Rugby's sanctioning regime, which EPCR is obliged to follow. The seriousness of the player's actions will be first assessed in order to determine which of the three stipulated entry points (lower end, mid-range and top end) is the most appropriate.
d) The Disciplinary Committee or Judicial Officer will determine the appropriate entry point based on an assessment of a number of particular characteristics of the player's actions, including whether or not they were intentional, whether or not they caused any injuries and whether or not they had any effect on the relevant match.
e) After deciding the entry point, the Disciplinary Committee or Judicial Officer will then consider whether the suspension should be increased from the entry point to take account of certain specified aggravating factors, such as a poor disciplinary record or the need for deterrence, and/or decreased from the entry point to take account of certain specified mitigating actions, such as a guilty plea, a good disciplinary record, the player's conduct at the hearing and expressions of remorse.
f) A suspension is a blanket ban from playing rugby union anywhere in the world. Players are suspended on the basis that a one-week period of suspension would ordinarily result in a player missing one match. Suspensions take into account periods of inactivity (such as the close season), periods when a player is injured or otherwise not fit to play, and when a player is not available or not expected to play. Suspensions should also take into account any out-of-season matches which are not considered to be meaningful, or which are not close enough to the season to be a determining factor in a player’s future selection.
g) Both parties to the hearing (EPCR and the player) have the right to appeal decisions. Appeals must be lodged within three (3) working days of receiving the full written decision of the Disciplinary Committee or Judicial Officer.
h) The full written decision will be available on www.epcrugby.com/discipline/hearing-decisions when the disciplinary process is complete.
i) For World Rugby's Sanctions for Foul Play, found at Appendix 1 to World Rugby Regulation 17, go to www.world.rugby/organisation/governance/regulations/reg-17/appendix-1

See below details of disciplinary hearings.