published on behalf of an independent Disciplinary Committee HEINEKEN CHAMPIONS CUP Red card – Maama Vaipulu (Castres Olympique) The Castres Olympique No 8, Maama Vaipulu, was issued with a red card during his club’s Heineken Champions Cup, Round 2 match against the Exeter Chiefs at Stade Pierre Fabre on Saturday, 20 October 2018. Vaipulu was sent off by the referee, John Lacey (Ireland), in the 36^th minute of the match for striking with his shoulder to the head of the Exeter Chiefs hooker, Luke Cowan-Dickie (No 2), in contravention of Law 9.12. Jennifer Donovan (Ireland), Chair, Martyn Wood (England) and Andrea Caranci (Italy), have been appointed as the independent Disciplinary Committee for the hearing which will take place in Paris tomorrow (Wednesday, 24 October). Law 9.12 Striking with the shoulder Under World Rugby’s Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 9.12 carries the following sanction entry points - Low End: 2 weeks; Mid-range: 6 weeks; Top end: 10 to 52 weeks. Red card – Danny Cipriani (Gloucester Rugby) The Gloucester Rugby outside half, Danny Cipiriani (No 10), was issued with a red card during his club’s Heineken Champions Cup, Round 2 match against Munster Rugby at Thomond Park on Saturday, 20 October 2018. Cipriani was sent off by the referee, Alexandre Ruiz (France), in the 29^th minute of the match for tackling the Munster Rugby centre, Rory Scannell (No 12), dangerously in contravention of Law 9.13. Philippe Cavaleiros (France), Chair, Kathrine Mackie (Scotland) and Frank Hadden (Scotland), have been appointed as the independent Disciplinary Committee for the hearing which will take place in Paris tomorrow (Wednesday, 24 October). Law 9.13 Dangerous tackling Under World Rugby’s Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 9.13 carries the following sanction entry points - Low End: 2 weeks; Mid-range: 6 weeks; Top end: 10 to 52 weeks. CHALLENGE CUP Red card – Maxim Gargalic (Enisei-STM) The Enisei-STM No 8, Maxim Gargalic, was issued with a red card during his club’s Challenge Cup, Round 2 match against La Rochelle at Stade Marcel Deflandre on Friday, 19 October 2018. Gargalic was sent off by referee, Vlad Iordachescu (Romania), in the 25^th minute of the match for tackling the La Rochelle scrum half, Jean-Victor Goillot (No 9), dangerously in contravention of Law 9.13. Philippe Cavaleiros (France), Chair, Kathrine Mackie (Scotland) and Martyn Wood (England), have been appointed as the independent Disciplinary Committee for the hearing which will take place by video conference tomorrow (Wednesday, 24 October). Law 9.13 Dangerous tackling Under World Rugby’s Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 9.13 carries the following sanction entry points - Low End: 2 weeks; Mid-range: 6 weeks; Top end: 10 to 52 weeks. Citing complaint – Julien Fumat (Pau) EPCR has received a citing complaint against the Pau wing, Julien Fumat (No 14), arising from his club's Challenge Cup, Round 2 match against Stade Francais Paris at Stade du Hameau on Saturday, 20 October 2018. Fumat is alleged to have committed an act of foul play by entering a ruck dangerously in the 40th^th minute of the match and making contact to the head of the Stade Francais Paris scrum half, Clément Daguin (No 9), in contravention of Law 9.20. Jennifer Donovan (Ireland), Chair, Kathrine Mackie (Scotland) and Martyn Wood (England), have been appointed as the independent Disciplinary Committee for the hearing which will take place in Paris tomorrow (Wednesday, 24 October). The complaint was made by the match Citing Commissioner, Francesco Grillo (Italy). Law 9.20 Dangerous play in a ruck or maul (without binding onto another player) 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. Citing complaint – Watisoni Votu (Pau) EPCR has received a citing complaint against the Pau wing, Watisoni Votu (No 11), arising from his club's Challenge Cup, Round 2 match against Stade Francais Paris at Stade du Hameau on Saturday, 20 October 2018. Votu is alleged to have committed an act of foul play by tackling the Stade Francais Paris centre, Malietoa Hingano (No 13), in a dangerous lifting manner in the 28^th minute of the match in contravention of Law 9.18. The player was shown a yellow card by match referee, Hamish Smales (England), following the incident. Andrea Caranci (Italy), Chair, Kathrine Mackie (Scotland) and Frank Hadden (Scotland), have been appointed as the independent Disciplinary Committee for the hearing which will take place in Paris tomorrow (Wednesday, 24 October). The complaint was made by the match Citing Commissioner, Francesco Grillo (Italy). Law 9.18 A player must not lift an opponent off the ground and drop or drive that player so that their head and/or upper body make contact with the ground Under World Rugby’s Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 9.18 carries the following sanction entry points - Low End: 6 weeks; Mid-range: 10 weeks; Top end: 14 to 52 weeks. Notes (i) Red Cards a) The case of any player sent off in Heineken Champions Cup and 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 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