Here are the decisions of the independent disciplinary hearings following the Challenge Cup and Champions Cup Round 3 matches.

Francesco Minto suspended for three weeks

The Benetton Rugby flanker, Francesco Minto, has been suspended for three weeks following an independent Disciplinary Hearing today (Wednesday, 13 December) arising from his club’s Champions Cup, Round 3 match against the Scarlets at Parc y Scarlets.

Minto was sent off by match referee, Mathieu Raynal (France), for a dangerous tackle on the Scarlets second row, David Bulbring (No 5), in the 24^th minute of the match in contravention of Law 10.4 (e).

Law 10.4 (e) Dangerous tackling of an opponent
Under World Rugby's Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 10.4 (e) 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 Jean-Noel Couraud (France), Frank Hadden (Scotland) and Nigel Williams (Wales), heard evidence and submissions by video conference from Minto, from Benetton Rugby Assistant Coach, Marius Goosen, and from the EPCR Disciplinary Officer, Liam McTiernan.

The Committee upheld the red card decision and found that the offence was at the mid-range of World Rugby’s sanctions and selected six weeks as the appropriate entry point.

The Committee reduced the sanction by the maximum of 50% due to the player’s good disciplinary record before imposing a suspension of three weeks.

Minto is free to play on 1 January 2018, and both he and EPCR have the right to appeal the decision.

Timilai Rokoduru suspended for seven weeks

The Lyon wing, Timilai Rokoduru, has been suspended for seven weeks following an independent Disciplinary Hearing today (Wednesday, 13 December) arising from his club’s Challenge Cup, Round 3 match against Toulouse at Stade Ernest Wallon.

Rokoduru was sent off by match referee, JP Doyle (RFU), for a dangerous tackle on the Toulouse wing, Sofiane Guitoune (No 11), in the 33rd minute of the match in contravention of Law 10.4 (e).

Law 10.4 (e) Dangerous tackling of an opponent
Under World Rugby's Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 10.4 (e) 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 Jean-Noel Couraud (France), Frank Hadden (Scotland) and Nigel Williams (Wales) heard evidence and submissions by video conference from Rokoduru, who pleaded not guilty to the offence, from the Lyon Club Administrator, Abdelhaq ait el Mouden, from the Lyon Assistant Coach, Kendrick Lynn, and from the EPCR Disciplinary Officer, Liam McTiernan.

The Committee upheld the red card decision and found that the offence was at the mid-range of World Rugby’s sanctions and selected six weeks as the appropriate entry point.

The Committee added one week to the sanction due to the player’s recent disciplinary record of repeat offending and also decided there were no mitigating factors, before imposing a suspension of seven weeks.

Rokoduru is free to play on 29 January 2018, 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 European Rugby Champions Cup and Challenge Cup games 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 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 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