Here are the details of the independent disciplinary hearings following the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup Round 1.

CHAMPIONS CUP – Citing complaints

Francois Louw (Bath Rugby)

EPCR has received a citing complaint against the Bath Rugby flanker, Francois Louw (No 20), following his club’s Champions Cup, Round 1 match against Benetton Rugby at The Recreation Ground on Saturday, 14 October 2017.

Louw is alleged to have made contact with the eye area of the Benetton Rugby second row, Marco Fuser (No 4), in the 77th minute of the match in contravention of Law 10.4 (m). The complaint was made by the match Citing Commissioner, Tim Lowry (Ireland).

Antony Davies (England), Chairman, Achille Reali (Italy) and Becky Essex (England) have been appointed as the independent Disciplinary Committee for the hearing which will take place tomorrow (Wednesday, 18 October) in London.

Law 10.4 (m) Contact with the eye area
Under World Rugby's Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 10.4 (m), contact with the eye area, carries the following sanction entry points - Low End: 4 weeks; Mid-range: 8 weeks; Top end: 12 to 52 weeks.

Marco Fuser (Benetton Rugby)

EPCR has received a citing complaint against the Benetton Rugby second row, Marco Fuser (No 4), following his club’s Champions Cup, Round 1 match against Bath Rugby at The Recreation Ground on Saturday, 14 October 2017.

Fuser is alleged to have bitten the Bath Rugby replacement flanker, Francois Louw (No 20), in the 77th minute of the match in contravention of Law 10.4 (m). The complaint was made by the match Citing Commissioner, Tim Lowry (Ireland).

Antony Davies (England), Chairman, Achille Reali (Italy) and Becky Essex (England) have been appointed as the independent Disciplinary Committee for the hearing which will take place tomorrow (Wednesday, 18 October) in London.

Law 10.4 (m) Biting
Under World Rugby's Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 10.4 (m), biting, carries the following sanction entry points - Low End: 12 weeks; Mid-range: 18 weeks; Top end: 24 to 208 weeks.

Mike Williams (Leicester Tigers)

EPCR has received a citing complaint against the Leicester Tigers flanker, Mike Williams (No 6), following his club’s Champions Cup, Round 1 match against Racing 92 at Stade Yves-du-Manoir on Saturday, 14 October 2017.

Williams is alleged to have charged into a ruck and to have made contact with the head/face area of the Racing 92 centre, Henry Chavancy (No 12), in contravention of Law 10.4 (h). The complaint was made by the match Citing Commissioner, Stefano Marrama (Italy).

Roger Morris (Wales), Chairman, Jennifer Donovan (Ireland) and Tommy Dalton (Ireland) have been appointed as the independent Disciplinary Committee for the hearing which will take place tomorrow (Wednesday, 18 October) in London.

Law 10.4 (h) Charging into a ruck
Under World Rugby's Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 10.4 (h), charging into a ruck, carries the following sanction entry points - Low End: 2 weeks; Mid-range: 6 weeks; Top end: 10 to 52 weeks.

CHALLENGE CUP – Citing complaints

Timilai Rokoduru (Lyon)

EPCR has received a citing complaint against the Lyon wing, Timilai Rokoduru (No 14), following his club’s Challenge Cup, Round 1 match against Cardiff Blues at Cardiff Arms Park on Friday, 13 October 2017.

Rokoduru is alleged to have tackled the Cardiff Blues wing, Blaine Scully (No 11), dangerously high in the 44th minute of the match in contravention of Law 10.4 (e). The complaint was made by the match Citing Commissioner, Paul Hull (England).

Roger Morris (Wales), Chairman, Jennifer Donovan (Ireland) and Tommy Dalton (Ireland) have been appointed as the independent Disciplinary Committee for the hearing which will take place tomorrow (Wednesday, 18 October) in London.

Law 10.4 (e) Dangerous tackling
Under World Rugby's Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 10.4 (e), dangerous tackling, carries the following sanction entry points - Low End: 2 weeks; Mid-range: 6 weeks; Top end: 10 to 52 weeks.

Valerii Tsnobiladze (Krasny Yar)

EPCR has received a citing complaint against the Krasny Yar hooker, Valerii Tsnobiladze (No 2), following his club’s Challenge Cup, Round 1 match against Stade Francais Paris at Krasny Yar Stadium on Saturday, 14 October 2017.

Tsnobiladze is alleged to have made contact with the eye area of the Stade Francais Paris No 8, Bakary Meité, in the 51st minute of the match in contravention of Law 10.4 (m). The complaint was made by the match Citing Commissioner, Eugene Ryan (Ireland).

David Martin (Ireland), Chairman, Pamela Woodman (Scotland) and Tony Wheat (England) have been appointed as the independent Disciplinary Committee for the hearing which will take place tomorrow (Wednesday, 18 October) by video conference.

Law 10.4 (m) Contact with the eye area
Under World Rugby's Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 10.4 (m), contact with the eye area, carries the following sanction entry points - Low End: 4 weeks; Mid-range: 8 weeks; Top end: 12 to 52 weeks.

Terry Bouhraoua (Stade Francais Paris)

EPCR has received a citing complaint against the Stade Francais Paris scrum half, Terry Bouhraoua (No 9), following his club’s Challenge Cup, Round 1 match against Krasny Yar at Krasny Yar Stadium on Saturday, 14 October 2017.

Bouhraoua is alleged to have made contact with the eye area of the Krasny Yar hooker, Valerii Tsnobiladze (No 2), and to have struck the same player with his knee, in the 51st minute of the match in contravention of Laws 10.4 (m) and 10.4 (a). The complaint was made by the match Citing Commissioner, Eugene Ryan (Ireland).

David Martin (Ireland), Chairman, Pamela Woodman (Scotland) and Tony Wheat (England) have been appointed as the independent Disciplinary Committee for the hearing which will take place in London tomorrow (Wednesday, 18 October).

Law 10.4 (m) Contact with the eye area
Under World Rugby's Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 10.4 (m), contact with the eye area, carries the following sanction entry points - Low End: 4 weeks; Mid-range: 8 weeks; Top end: 12 to 52 weeks

Law 10.4 (a) Striking with the knee
Under World Rugby's Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 10.4 (a), striking with the knee, carries the following sanction entry points - Low End: 4 weeks; Mid-range: 8 weeks; Top end: 12 to 52 weeks.

Notes

(i) Citing Commissioner
a) Citing Commissioners are appointed by EPCR for all European Rugby 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.
(ii) 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/decisions.php when the disciplinary process is complete.
i) For World Rugby's Sanctions for Foul Play, found at Appendix 1 to World Rugby Regulation 17, please go to www.worldrugby.org