The Stade Francais Paris hooker, Tolu Latu, has been suspended for one week following an independent Disciplinary Hearing by video conference arising from his club’s Heineken Champions Cup, Round 4 match against Connacht Rugby at Stade Jean Bouin.

Latu was sent off by the referee, Wayne Barnes (England), in the 46th minute of the match after being shown a second yellow card for directing abusive language at Barnes in contravention of Law 9.28.

Latu was shown a first yellow card when he committed an act of foul play by dangerously clearing out the Connacht Rugby hooker, Shane Delahunt, at a ruck in the 34th minute of the match in contravention of Law 9.20.

Law 9.28 A player must not disrespect the authority of a match official
Under World Rugby’s Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 9.28 carries the following sanction entry points - Low End: 2 weeks; Mid-range: 4 weeks; Top end: 6 to 52 weeks.

Law 9.20 Dangerous play at a ruck or maul
Under World Rugby’s Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 9.20 carries the following sanction entry points - Low End: 2 weeks; Mid-range: 6 weeks; Top end: 10 to 52 weeks.

The independent Disciplinary Committee comprising John Carroll (Ireland), Chair, Mitchell Read (England) and Olly Kohn (Wales) considered video imagery of the incidents and heard evidence and submissions from the player, who accepted the red card decision, from the Stade Francais Paris Director General, Thomas Lombard, from the Stade Francais Paris Head Coach, Gonzalo Quesada, and from the EPCR Disciplinary Officer, Liam McTiernan.

The committee upheld the red decision, finding that on each occasion Latu had committed an act of foul play that warranted a yellow card. It then determined that the offending was at the low end of World Rugby’s sanctions and two weeks was selected as the appropriate entry point.

As there were no aggravating factors, it was decided to grant the full 50% mitigation and the committee reduced the sanction by one week before imposing a one-week suspension.

Latu is free to play on Monday, 31 January 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 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

Tolu Latu suspended for one week