Matt Proctor citing complaint dismissed

The Northampton Saints centre, Matt Proctor, has had a citing complaint against him dismissed following an independent Disciplinary Hearing in London today (Wednesday, 18 December 2019) arising from his club’s Heineken Champions Cup, Round 4 match against Leinster Rugby.

Proctor was cited by the match Citing Commissioner, Jeff Mark (Wales), for tackling the Leinster replacement fly half, Ciaran Frawley (No 22), in an allegedly dangerous manner in the 72nd minute of the match in contravention of Law 9.13.

Law 9.13 Dangerous tackling

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 consisting of Kathrine Mackie (Scotland), Chair, Andrea Caranci (Italy) and Roger Morris (Wales), considered video imagery of the incident and heard evidence and submissions from the player, who pleaded not guilty to the charge, from the Northampton Saints legal representative, John Shea, from the Northampton Saints Team Manager, Maurice Hartery, and from the EPCR Disciplinary Officer, Liam McTiernan.

The Committee decided that while Proctor had committed an act of foul play, the tackle did not warrant a red card. It determined that the contact to Frawley’s head and neck area was indirect rather than direct, and therefore constituted an on-field mitigating factor under World Rugby’s high tackle decision-making framework.

The citing complaint was dismissed, and Proctor is free to play. EPCR have the right to appeal the decision.

Andy Symons citing complaint dismissed

The Northampton Saints centre, Andy Symons, has had a citing complaint against him dismissed following an independent Disciplinary Hearing in London today (Wednesday, 18 December 2019) arising from his club’s Heineken Champions Cup, Round 4 match against Leinster Rugby.

Symons was cited by the match Citing Commissioner, Jeff Mark (Wales), for tackling the Leinster hooker, James Tracy (No 2), in an allegedly dangerous manner in the 15th minute of the match in contravention of Law 9.13.

Law 9.13 Dangerous tackling

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 consisting of Roger Morris (Wales), Chair, Jamie Corsi (Wales) and John Doubleday (England), considered video imagery of the incident and heard evidence and submissions from the player, who pleaded not guilty to the charge, from the Northampton Saints legal representative, John Shea, from the Northampton Saints Team Manager, Maurice Hartery, and from the EPCR Disciplinary Officer, Liam McTiernan.

The Committee decided that the primary contact between Symons and Tracy had been shoulder-to-shoulder, and that there had been no contact with Tracy’s head or neck area. As the tackle was not an act of foul play and could not therefore have warranted a red card, the citing complaint was dismissed.

Symons is free to play, and EPCR has the right to appeal the decision.

Lewis Bean citing complaint dismissed

The Northampton Saints player, Lewis Bean, has had a citing complaint against him dismissed following an independent Disciplinary Hearing in London today (Wednesday, 18 December 2019) arising from his club’s Heineken Champions Cup, Round 4 match against Leinster Rugby.

Bean was cited by the match Citing Commissioner, Jeff Mark (Wales), for tackling the Leinster prop Cian Healy (No 1), in an allegedly dangerous manner in the 13th minute of the match in contravention of Law 9.13.

Law 9.13 Dangerous tackling

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 consisting of Roger Morris (Wales), Chair, Jamie Corsi (Wales) and John Doubleday (England), considered video imagery of the incident and heard evidence and submissions from the player, who pleaded not guilty to the charge, from the Northampton Saints legal representative, John Shea, from the Northampton Saints Team Manager, Maurice Hartery, and from the EPCR Disciplinary Officer, Liam McTiernan.

The Committee decided that the clash of heads between Bean and Healy was accidental, and that there was no act of foul play that could have warranted a red card.

The citing complaint was therefore dismissed, and Bean is free to play. EPCR have the right to appeal the decision.

CHALLENGE CUP

Ethan Waller suspended for three weeks

The Worcester Warriors prop, Ethan Waller, has been suspended for three weeks following an independent Disciplinary Hearing in London today (Wednesday, 18 December) arising from his club’s Challenge Cup, Round 4 match against the Dragons at Rodney Parade.

Waller was sent off by the referee, Ludovic Cayre (France), in the 71st minute of the match for striking the Dragons flanker, Cory Hill (No 6), with his shoulder in a dangerous manner in contravention of Law 9.12.

An independent Disciplinary Committee consisting of Kathrine Mackie (Scotland), Chair, Andrea Caranci (Italy) and Roger Morris (Wales), considered video imagery of the incident and heard evidence and submissions from the player, who pleaded guilty to the charge, from the Worcester Warriors legal representative, Simon Fleming, from the Worcester Warriors Team Manager, Mark Hewitt, and from the EPCR Disciplinary Officer, Liam McTiernan.

Before reaching a determination, the Committee decided to amend the charge in order for it to come under Law 9.13, dangerous tackling.

Law 9.13 Dangerous tackling

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. 

The Committee upheld the complaint, finding that Waller had make reckless and dangerous contact with Hill’s head when attempting the tackle. As contact to the head and neck area carries a minimum mandatory mid-range sanction, according to World Rugby’s regulations, six weeks was selected as the appropriate entry point.

There were no aggravating factors, and taking into account the player’s guilty plea, clear disciplinary record and expression of remorse, the Committee reduced the sanction by the maximum of 50% before imposing a three-week suspension.

Waller is free to play on Monday, 6 January 2020, 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, Challenge Cup and Continental Shield 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 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 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 world.rugby

HEINEKEN CHAMPIONS CUP