The Section Paloise Head Coach, Sébastien Piqueronies, has been suspended for 10 weeks following an independent Disciplinary Hearing arising from his club’s EPCR Challenge Cup, Round 1 match against the Toyota Cheetahs at Stade Hameau.

Piqueronies was cited by the match Citing Commissioner, Csaba Priskin (Czech Republic), for allegedly physically abusing the referee, Sam Grove-White (Scotland), following the conclusion of the fixture in contravention of Law 9.28.

Law 9.28 Physical abuse of a match official
Under World Rugby’s Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 9.28 relating to physical abuse of a match official carries the following sanction entry points - Low End: 24 weeks; Mid-range: 48 weeks; Top end: 96 + weeks.

An independent Disciplinary Committee comprising Jeremy Summers (England), Chair, Gordon Black (Ireland) and David Humphreys (Ireland) considered video imagery of the incident and heard submissions from Piqueronies, who accepted that he had made inappropriate physical contact with the referee, from Piqueronies’ legal representative, Benjamin Peyrelevade, from the Section Paloise Chief Executive, Pierre Lahore, from the Section Paloise legal representative, Marie Anglade, and from the EPCR Disciplinary Officer, Liam McTiernan.

After consideration, the committee decided to take the case forward as a misconduct complaint and as a result, it was not required to follow World Rugby’s table of recommended sanctions.

The committee did not accept that Piqueronies was simply trying to shake the referee’s hand and found him guilty of the less serious offence of using threatening words and actions towards the referee rather than actual physical abuse.

It was decided that the appropriate sanction entry point was 20 weeks and due to Piqueronies’ clear disciplinary record and his guilty plea, the committee granted the full 50% mitigation before imposing a suspension of 10 weeks.

The independent Disciplinary Committee Chair, Jeremy Summers, said: “Match official abuse has no place in rugby and this decision reinforces the message that offenders, at whatever level, will be subject to significant sanction.”

Piqueronies is now suspended from any match day contact with the Section Paloise playing squad, including, but not limited to, access to the Technical Zone, pitchside, dressing rooms, any team areas and team communications systems.

The exact date of the expiration of his suspension will be confirmed once the Section Paloise future fixture schedule is clarified.

Both Piqueronies and EPCR have the right to appeal the decision.

Oupa Mohoje suspended for three weeks

The Toyota Cheetahs back row, Oupa Mohoje, has been suspended for three weeks following an independent Disciplinary Hearing arising from his club’s EPCR Challenge Cup, Round 1 match against Section Paloise at Stade Hameau.

Mohoje was cited by the Citing Commissioner Csaba Priskin (Czech Republic), for a dangerous tackle on the Section Paloise centre, Yvan Reilhac, in the 26th minute of the match 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 Marcello d’Orey (Portugal), Chair, Matthew O’Grady (England) and Tony Wheat (Ireland) considered video imagery of the incident and heard submissions from Mohoje, who accepted that he had committed an act of foul play that warranted a red card, from the player’s legal representative, Marius Botha, from the Toyota Cheetahs Team Manager, Ashwell Rafferty, and from the EPCR Disciplinary Officer, Liam McTiernan.

After consideration, the committee decided to amend the charge to one of dangerous play at a ruck or maul in contravention of Law 9.20.

Law 9.20 A player must not charge into a ruck or maul
Under World Rugby’s Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 9.20 relating to dangerous play at a ruck or maul carries the following sanction entry points - Low End: 2 weeks; Mid-range: 6 weeks; Top end: 10 to 52 weeks.

The committee found that Mohoje had committed an act of foul play that warranted a red card and it determined that the offending was at the mid-range of World Rugby’s sanctions and six weeks was selected as the appropriate entry point.

Due to the player’s clear disciplinary record and his guilty plea, it was decided to grant him the full 50% mitigation and the committee therefore reduced the sanction by three weeks before imposing a three-week suspension.

Mohoje is free to play on Monday, 16 January 2023, however, if he applies for and successfully completes a World Rugby Coaching Intervention, he will be free to play on Monday, 9 January 2023.

Both he and EPCR have the right to appeal the decision.

Charlie Maddison suspended for three weeks

The Newcastle Falcons replacement hooker, Charlie Maddison, has been suspended for three weeks following an independent Disciplinary Hearing arising from his club’s EPCR Challenge Cup, Round 1 match against Connacht Rugby at The Sportsground.

Maddison was cited by the match Citing Commissioner, Kay Winter-Green (Wales), for striking the Connacht Rugby scrum-half, Caolin Blade, with his head in a dangerous manner in contravention of Law 9.12.

Law 9.12 A player must not strike an opponent with his head
Under World Rugby’s Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 9.12 relating to striking with the head carries the following sanction entry points - Low End: 6 weeks; Mid-range: 10 weeks; Top end: 16 to 104 weeks.

An independent Disciplinary Committee comprising Owen Rhys James (Wales), Chair, Pamela Woodman (Scotland) and Piergiorgo Della Porta (Italy) considered video imagery of the incident and heard submissions from Maddison, who did not accept that he had committed an act of foul play that warranted a red card, from the player’s legal representative, Kingsley Hyland, from the Newcastle Falcons Team Manager, John Stokoe, and from the EPCR Disciplinary Officer, Liam McTiernan.

The committee found that Maddison had committed an act of foul play that warranted a red card in that he struck Blade with his head in a dangerous manner and it determined that the offending was at the low end of World Rugby’s sanctions and six weeks was selected as the appropriate entry point.

It was decided to grant him the full 50% mitigation and the committee therefore reduced the sanction by three weeks before imposing a three-week suspension.

Maddison is free to play on Monday, 2 January 2023, and both he and EPCR have the right to appeal the decision.

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 26 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/european-professional-club-rugby/discipline-news/hearing-decisions/ when the disciplinary process is complete.
i) For World Rugby’s Sanctions for Foul Play, found at Appendix 2 to World Rugby Regulation 17, go to world.rugby

Sébastien Piqueronies suspended for 10 weeks