Red card – Zach Mercer (Montpellier Hérault Rugby)

The Montpellier Hérault Rugby No 8, Zach Mercer, was issued with a red card during his club’s Heineken Champions Cup, Round of 16 match against the Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park on Saturday 1 April 2023.

Mercer was sent off by the referee, Andrew Brace (Ireland), in the 50th minute of the match for tackling the Exeter Chiefs back row, Christ Tshiunza (No 7), in a dangerous manner in contravention of Law 9.13

David Martin (Ireland), Chair, Gordon Black (Ireland) and Bogdan Zebega (Romania) have been appointed as the independent Disciplinary Committee for the hearing which will take place by video conference tomorrow (Wednesday 5 April).

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.

Citing complaint - Georges-Henri Colombe (Stade Rochelais)

EPCR has received a citing complaint against the Stade Rochelais replacement prop, Georges-Henri Colombe (No 18), arising from his club’s Heineken Champions Cup, Round of 16 match against Gloucester Rugby at Stade Marcel Deflandre on 1st April 2023.

Colombe is alleged to have carried out a dangerous clear-out at a ruck on the Gloucester Rugby back row, Ruan Ackerman (No 6), in the 68th minute of the match in contravention of Law 9.11.

The complaint was made by the match Citing Commissioner, Beth Dickens (Scotland).

Antony Davies (England), Chair, Donal Courtney (Ireland) and Frank Hadden (Scotland) have been appointed as in the independent Disciplinary Committee for the hearing which will take place by video conference tomorrow (Wednesday 5 April).

Law 9.11 A player must not do anything that is reckless or dangerous to others
Under World Rugby’s Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 9.11 relating to reckless or dangerous play, carries the following sanction entry points - Low End: 2 weeks; Mid-range: 6 weeks; Top end: 10 to 52 weeks

EPCR CHALLENGE CUP

Red card – Aki Seiuli (Dragons RFC)

The Dragons RFC prop, Aki Seiuli (No 1), was issued with a red card during his club’s EPCR Challenge Cup, Round of 16 match against the Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun on Saturday 1 April 2023.

Seiuli was sent off by the referee, Tual Trainini, in the 33rd minute of the match for tackling the Glasgow Warriors scrum half, George Horne (No 9), in a dangerous manner in contravention of Law 9.13

Rory Bannerman (Scotland), Chair, Tony Wheat (Ireland) and Piergiorgio della Porta (Italy) have been appointed as the independent Disciplinary Committee for the hearing which will take place by video conference tomorrow (Wednesday 5 April).

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.

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

HEINEKEN CHAMPIONS CUP