Jacob Umaga suspended for four weeks

The Wasps full back, Jacob Umaga, has been suspended for four weeks following an independent Disciplinary Hearing by video conference arising from his club’s Heineken Champions Cup, Round 3 match against Stade Toulousain at the Coventry Building Society Arena.

Umaga was sent off by the referee, Chris Busby (Ireland), in the 33rd minute of the match for tackling the Stade Toulousain scrum half, Martin Page Relo, in a dangerous manner in contravention of Law 9.13.

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.

The independent Disciplinary Committee comprising Roddy Dunlop QC (Scotland), Chair, Tony Wheat (Ireland) and Olly Kohn (Wales) considered video imagery of the incident and heard evidence and submissions from Umaga, who accepted the red card decision, from the Wasps Team Manager, Dave Bassett, and from the EPCR Disciplinary Officer, Liam McTiernan.

The committee upheld the red card decision, finding that Umaga had made contact with Page Relo’s head in a dangerous manner. It then determined that the offence was at the mid-range of World Rugby’s sanctions and selected six weeks as the appropriate entry point.

As this was the player’s second appearance before a disciplinary committee for a similar offence this season, it was decided not to grant the full 50% mitigation, and consequently, the committee reduced the sanction by two weeks before imposing a four-week suspension.

Umaga is free to play on Monday, 14 February and both he and EPCR have the right to appeal the decision.

Bundee Aki – Citing Commissioner Warning

The Connacht Rugby centre, Bundee Aki, has been issued with a Citing Commissioner Warning arising from his club’s Heineken Champions Cup, Round 3 match against Leicester Tigers on Saturday, 15 January 2022.

The warning was for an act of dissent towards the match referee, Mathieu Raynal (France), in contravention of Law 9.28. The match Citing Commissioner was Jeff Mark (Wales).

Players who accumulate three Citing Commissioner Warnings, or who are shown three yellow cards for Foul Play offences, or a combination of both, during the pool stages and knockout stages of the Heineken Champions Cup and the EPCR Challenge Cup, will be required to attend a Disciplinary Hearing.

EPCR CHALLENGE CUP

Agustin Creevy suspended for three weeks

The London Irish hooker, Agustin Creevy, has been suspended for three weeks following an independent Disciplinary Hearing by video conference arising from his club’s EPCR Challenge Cup, Round 3 match against Edinburgh Rugby at Brentford Community Stadium.

Creevy was sent off by the referee, Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy), in the 57th minute of the match for making contact with the head of the Edinburgh Rugby flanker, Jamie Ritchie, in a dangerous manner in contravention of Law 9.11.

The independent Disciplinary Committee comprising Tommy Dalton (Ireland), Chair, Pamela Woodman (Scotland) and Valeriu Toma (Romania), considered video imagery of the incident and heard evidence and submissions from the player, who accepted the red card decision, from the London Irish Director of Rugby, Declan Kidney, from the London Irish Team Manager, Alex James, and from the EPCR Disciplinary Officer, Liam McTiernan.

Firstly, the committee decided to amend the charge so that the offence was to be considered under Law 9.12 rather than Law 9.11.

Law 9.12 Striking with the head
Under World Rugby’s Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 9.12 Striking with the head carries the following sanction entry points - Low End: 6 weeks; Mid-range: 10 weeks; Top end: 16 to 104 weeks.

The committee then upheld the red card decision, finding that Creevy had struck Ritchie with his head in a dangerous manner. It determined that the offence was at the low end of World Rugby’s sanctions and selected six weeks 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 three weeks before imposing a three-week suspension.

Creevy is free to play on Monday, 7 February and both he and EPCR have the right to appeal the decision.

Mike Brown citing complaint dismissed

A citing complaint against the Newcastle Falcons full back, Mike Brown, arising from his club’s EPCR Challenge Cup, Round 3 match against Biarritz Olympique at Parc des Sports Aguiléra has been dismissed following an independent Disciplinary Hearing by video conference.

Brown was cited by the match Citing Commissioner, Jay Curts (Mexico), for allegedly tackling the Biarritz Olympique wing, Darly Domvo, in a dangerous manner in the 64th minute in contravention of Law 9.13.

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.

The independent Disciplinary Committee comprising Jean-Noel Couraud (France), Chair, Donal Courtney (Ireland) and Marcello d’Orey (Portugal), considered video imagery of the incident and heard evidence and submissions from Brown, who did not accept that the act of foul play warranted a red card, from the player’s legal representative, Kingsley Hyland, from the Newcastle Falcons Director of Rugby, Dean Richards, and from the EPCR Disciplinary Officer, Liam McTiernan.

While the committee determined that Brown had committed an act of foul play, it found that his actions involved a low degree of force, and a low degree of danger. The complaint was therefore dismissed and he is free to play.

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/organisation/governance/regulations/reg-17/appendix-1

HEINEKEN CHAMPIONS CUP