Disciplinary Hearings – Round 4
Citing complaint – Charlie Matthews (Harlequins)
EPCR has received a citing complaint against the Harlequins second row, Charlie Matthews (No 4), following the European Rugby Champions Cup Round 4 match against Leinster Rugby on Saturday, 13 December 2014.
Matthews is alleged to have made contact with the eye area of the Leinster wing forward, Dominic Ryan (No 7), in the 77th minute of the Pool 2 game at the Aviva Stadium in contravention of Law 10.4 (m). He was shown a yellow card following the incident by referee, Romain Poite (France).
The complaint was made by the match Citing Commissioner, Stefano Marrama (Italy).
Rod McKenzie (Scotland) has been appointed as the independent Judicial Officer for the hearing which will take place in London tomorrow (Wednesday, 17 December).
Law 10.4 (m) Acts contrary to good sportsmanship – A player must not make contact with the eye(s) or eye area of an opponent
Under World Rugby’s Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 10.4 (m) Making contact with the eye(s) or eye area of an opponent, carries the following sanction entry points – Low End: 12 weeks; Mid-Range: 18 weeks; Top End: 24 to 52 weeks.
Notes
(i) Citing Commissioner
a) Citing Commissioners are appointed by EPCR for all European Rugby Champions Cup and all televised 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 Judicial Officer is chosen by the chairman of the independent Disciplinary Panel, Professor Lorne Crerar.
b) The tournament Disciplinary Officer presents the case against the player.
c) If a citing complaint is upheld, the independent Judicial Officer will be required to consider the appropriate sanction. Under World Rugby’s sanctioning regime, which EPCR is obliged to follow, the Judicial Officer will first assess the seriousness of the player’s actions and determine which of the three stipulated entry points (lower end, mid range and top end) is the most appropriate.
d) The Judicial Officer will determine the appropriate entry point based on his/her 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 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.
g) Both parties to the hearing (EPCR and the player) have the right to appeal decisions of the independent Disciplinary Hearing. Appeals must be lodged within three (3) working days of receiving the full written decision of the Judicial Officer.
h) The full written decision of the Judicial Officer will be available on www.epcrugby.com/disciplinenews when the disciplinary process is complete
i) For World Rugby’s Sanctions for Foul Play, found at Appendix 1 to Word Rugby Regulation 17, please go to www.worldrugby.org
Red card – David Odiete (Zebre)
The Zebre replacement, David Odiete (No 22), was issued with a red card during the European Rugby Challenge Cup Round 4 match against Gloucester Rugby at Stadio XXV Aprile on Saturday, 13 December 2014.
Odiete was sent off by referee, Neil Paterson (Scotland), in the 39th minute of the Pool 5 game for an alleged dangerous challenge on the Gloucester full back, Stevie McColl (No 15).
Jeremy Summers (England) has been appointed as the independent Judicial Officer for the hearing which will take place on Thursday (18 October).
Law 10.4 (i) Tackling the jumper in the air. A player must not tackle, tap, push or pull an opponent jumping for the ball in a lineout or in open play.
Under World Rugby’s Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 10.4 (i) carries the following sanction entry points: Low End: 3 weeks; Mid-Range: 6 weeks; Top End: 12 to 52 weeks.
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 Judicial Officer as soon as is practicable.
b) Until the hearing the player is ineligible to play in any tournament.
(ii) Disciplinary Hearing
a) The independent Judicial Officer is chosen by the chairman of the independent Disciplinary Panel, Professor Lorne Crerar.
b) EPCR’s Disciplinary Officer presents the case against the player.
c) If a red card decision is upheld, the independent Judicial Officer will be required to consider the appropriate sanction. Under World Rugby’s sanctioning regime, which EPCR is obliged to follow, the Judicial Officer will first assess the seriousness of the player’s actions and determine which of the three stipulated entry points (lower end, mid range and top end) is the most appropriate.
d) The Judicial Officer will determine the appropriate entry point based on his/her 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 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.
d) A suspension is a blanket ban from playing rugby union anywhere in the world.
e) Both parties to the hearing (EPCR and the player) have the right to appeal decisions of the independent Disciplinary Hearing. Appeals must be lodged within three (3) working days of receiving the full written decision of the Judicial Officer.
f) The full written decision of the Judicial Officer will be available on www.epcrugby.com/discipline/news.php when the disciplinary process is complete.
g) For World Rugby’s Sanctions for Foul Play, found at Appendix 1 to World Rugby Regulation 17, please go to www.worldrugby.org
