European Suspensions

[collybs]

The Stade Francais Paris player, Paul Gabrillagues, has been suspended for eight weeks following an independent Disciplinary Hearing in London on Wednesday, 27 January 2016.

Gabrillagues was cited by the match Citing Commissioner, Peter Ferguson (Ireland), for allegedly making contact with the eye(s) and/or eye area of the Leicester Tigers prop, Dan Cole (No 3), in the 48th minute of the European Rugby Champions Cup Round 6 match at Stade Jean Bouin on Sunday, 24 January 2016 in contravention of Law 10.4 (m).

Law 10.4 (m) Contact with the eye(s) and/or eye area
Under World Rugby's Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 10.4 (m), Contact with the eye(s) and/or eye area carries the following sanction entry points - Low End: 12 weeks; Mid-Range: 18 weeks; Top End: 24 to 208 weeks.

The independent Judicial Officer, Pat Barriscale (Ireland), heard evidence and submissions from Gabrillagues, who accepted that he had committed an act of foul play, from the Stade Francais Paris Chief Executive, Pierre Arnald, and from the EPCR Disciplinary Officer, Liam McTiernan.

In upholding the citing complaint, the Judicial Officer found that Gabrillagues had committed an act of foul play that warranted a red card. He determined that that offence was at the low end of World Rugby's sanctions and selected 12 weeks as the appropriate entry point.

He added two weeks as a deterrent according to World Rugby's memorandum regarding offences of this nature, before reducing the sanction by six weeks - 50% of the entry point - due to Gabrillagues' guilty plea, good disciplinary record, expression of remorse, youth and inexperience and good conduct at the hearing. He then imposed a suspension of eight weeks.

Gabrillagues is free to play on Monday, 21 March 2016. Both the player and EPCR have the right to appeal the decision.

The Stade Francais Paris player, Laurent Sempéré, has been suspended for 15 weeks following an independent Disciplinary Hearing in London on Wednesday, 27 January 2016.

Sempéré was cited by the match Citing Commissioner, Peter Ferguson (Ireland), for allegedly making contact with the eye(s) and/or eye area of the Leicester Tigers prop, Marcos Ayerza (No 1), in the 34th minute of the European Rugby Champions Cup Round 6 match at Stade Jean Bouin on Sunday, 24 January 2016 in contravention of Law 10.4 (m).

Law 10.4 (m) Contact with the eye(s) and/or eye area
Under World Rugby's Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 10.4 (m), Contact with the eye(s) and/or eye area carries the following sanction entry points - Low End: 12 weeks; Mid-Range: 18 weeks; Top End: 24 to 208 weeks.

The independent Judicial Officer, Pat Barriscale (Ireland), heard evidence and submissions from Sempéré, who did not accept that he had committed an act of foul play that warranted a red card, from the Stade Français Paris Chief Executive, Pierre Arnald, and from the EPCR Disciplinary Officer, Liam McTiernan.

The Judicial Officer also considered written and verbal statements by Ayerza and photographic evidence of abrasions around Ayerza's eye area.

In upholding the citing complaint, the Judicial Officer found that Sempéré had committed an act of foul play that warranted a red card. He determined that the offence was at the mid-range of World Rugby's sanctions and selected 18 weeks as the appropriate entry point.

He added three weeks as a deterrent according to World Rugby's memorandum regarding offences of this nature, before reducing the sanction by six weeks due to Sempéré's good disciplinary record, good character, excellent conduct at the hearing and his expression of concern for Ayerza's welfare.

The Judicial Officer then imposed a suspension of 15 weeks.
Sempéré is free to play on Monday, 9 May 2016. Both the player and EPCR have the right to appeal the decision.

See http://www.epcrugby.com/discipline/32495.php#.VquG-1nl9kc for details of 2 cases above.

The Leicester Tigers player, Tom Youngs, has been suspended for one week following an independent Disciplinary Hearing on Wednesday, 27 January 2016.

Youngs was cited by the match Citing Commissioner, Peter Ferguson (Ireland), for striking the Stade Francais Paris prop, Rabah Slimani (No 3), in the 52nd minute of the European Rugby Champions Cup Round 6 match at Stade Jean Bouin in contravention of Law 10.4 (a).

Law 10.4 (a) Striking another player with a hand, arm or fist
Under World Rugby's Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 10.4 (a), Striking with a hand, arm or fist, carries the following sanction entry points - Low End: 2 weeks; Mid-Range: 5 weeks; Top End: 8 to 52 weeks

The independent Judicial Officer, Roger Morris (Wales), heard evidence and submissions from Youngs, who accepted that he committed an act of foul play, from the Leicester Tigers Chief Executive, Simon Cohen, and from the EPCR Disciplinary Officer, Liam McTiernan.

In upholding the citing complaint, the Judicial Officer found that Youngs had committed an act of foul play that warranted a red card. He determined that the offence was at the low end of World Rugby's sanctions and selected two weeks as the appropriate entry point.

He reduced the sanction by one week due to the player's clean disciplinary record, expression of remorse, good character and good conduct during the hearing before imposing a suspension of one week.

Youngs is free to play on Monday, 1 February 2016. Both the player and EPCR have the right to appeal the decision.

The Scarlets player, Maselino Paulino, has been suspended for three weeks following an independent Disciplinary Hearing on Wednesday, 27 January 2016.

The Scarlets player, Maselino Paulino, has been suspended for three weeks following an independent Disciplinary Hearing today (Wednesday, 27 January 2016).

Paulino was cited by the match Citing Commissioner, Yves Thieffine (France), for striking the Northampton Saints second row, Courtney Lawes, in the 49th minute of the European Rugby Champions Cup Round 6 match at Parc y Scarlets on Saturday, 23 January 2016 in contravention of Law 10.4 (a).

Paulino was shown a yellow card for the incident by match referee, Pascal Gauzere (France).

Law 10.4 (a) Striking another player with a hand, arm or fist
Under World Rugby's Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 10.4 (a), Striking with a hand, arm or fist, carries the following sanction entry points - Low End: 2 weeks; Mid-Range: 5 weeks; Top End: 8 to 52 weeks

The independent Judicial Officer, Jeremy Summers (England), heard evidence and submissions from Paulino, who pleaded guilty to the charge, from the Scarlets Team Manager, Garan Evans, and from the EPCR Disciplinary Officer, Liam McTiernan.

In upholding the citing complaint, the Judicial Officer found that Paulino had committed an act of foul play that warranted a red card. He determined that the offence was at the mid-range of World Rugby's sanctions and selected five weeks as the appropriate entry point.

He reduced the sanction by two weeks due to the player's timely guilty plea, expression of remorse and good conduct at the hearing before imposing a suspension of three weeks.

Paulino is free to play on Monday, 15 February 2016. Both the player and EPCR have the right to appeal the decision.

See http://www.epcrugby.com/discipline/32486.php#.VquH3Fnl9kc for details of 2 cases above.

 

[Dixie]

I am not quite sure what conclusion Collybs is asking us to draw. The obvious one is that the UK suspensions are tiny compared to the FR ones, but the offences are very different:

The Stade Francais Paris player, Paul Gabrillagues, has been suspended for eight weeks following an independent Disciplinary Hearing in London today (Wednesday, 27 January 2016). Gabrillagues was cited by the match Citing Commissioner, Peter Ferguson (Ireland), for allegedly making contact with the eye(s) and/or eye area of the Leicester Tigers prop, Dan Cole (No 3)

Laurent Sempéré, has been suspended for 15 weeks following an independent Disciplinary Hearing in London today (Wednesday, 27 January 2016). Sempéré was cited by the match Citing Commissioner, Peter Ferguson (Ireland), for allegedly making contact with the eye(s) and/or eye area of the Leicester Tigers prop, Marcos Ayerza (No 1

Tom Youngs, has been suspended for one week following an independent Disciplinary Hearing today (Wednesday, 27 January 2016). Youngs was cited by the match Citing Commissioner, Peter Ferguson (Ireland), for striking the Stade Francais Paris prop, Rabah Slimani (No 3), in the 52nd minute of the European Rugby Champions Cup Round 6 match at Stade Jean Bouin in contravention of Law 10.4 (a).

The Scarlets player, Maselino Paulino, has been suspended for three weeks following an independent Disciplinary Hearing today (Wednesday, 27 January 2016). Paulino was cited by the match Citing Commissioner, Yves Thieffine (France), for striking the Northampton Saints second row, Courtney Lawes

So striking gets you 1-3 weeks, while eye-gouging gets 8-15 weeks. I don't know that I find that differential to be disgraceful or even worrying. Perhaps Collybs was indicating more that the Stade v Tiggers game had more than a few ugly moments, while the Scarlets' game against the Saints was relatively civilised?

or perhaps he's pointing out that elite refs are letting things go on the park in the knowledge that the citing commissioner will clean up the mess later.

 

[SimonSmith]

I am not quite sure what conclusion Collybs is asking us to draw. The obvious one is that the UK suspensions are tiny compared to the FR ones, but the offences are very different:

The Stade Francais Paris player, Paul Gabrillagues, has been suspended for eight weeks following an independent Disciplinary Hearing in London today (Wednesday, 27 January 2016). Gabrillagues was cited by the match Citing Commissioner, Peter Ferguson (Ireland), for allegedly making contact with the eye(s) and/or eye area of the Leicester Tigers prop, Dan Cole (No 3)

Laurent Sempéré, has been suspended for 15 weeks following an independent Disciplinary Hearing in London today (Wednesday, 27 January 2016). Sempéré was cited by the match Citing Commissioner, Peter Ferguson (Ireland), for allegedly making contact with the eye(s) and/or eye area of the Leicester Tigers prop, Marcos Ayerza (No 1

Tom Youngs, has been suspended for one week following an independent Disciplinary Hearing today (Wednesday, 27 January 2016). Youngs was cited by the match Citing Commissioner, Peter Ferguson (Ireland), for striking the Stade Francais Paris prop, Rabah Slimani (No 3), in the 52nd minute of the European Rugby Champions Cup Round 6 match at Stade Jean Bouin in contravention of Law 10.4 (a).

The Scarlets player, Maselino Paulino, has been suspended for three weeks following an independent Disciplinary Hearing today (Wednesday, 27 January 2016). Paulino was cited by the match Citing Commissioner, Yves Thieffine (France), for striking the Northampton Saints second row, Courtney Lawes

So striking gets you 1-3 weeks, while eye-gouging gets 8-15 weeks. I don't know that I find that differential to be disgraceful or even worrying. Perhaps Collybs was indicating more that the Stade v Tiggers game had more than a few ugly moments, while the Scarlets' game against the Saints was relatively civilised?

or perhaps he's pointing out that elite refs are letting things go on the park in the knowledge that the citing commissioner will clean up the mess later.

Perhaps. But the Gauzere case suggests that he saw, and acted. Another Elite referee being told that he missed a clear RC offence. This is a worrying trend

 

[crossref]

it's interesting (to me) that all of these summaries contain the phrase

In upholding the citing complaint, the Judicial Officer found that XXX had committed an act of foul play that warranted a red card

that phrase was, oddly, missing from all the reports in the RWC.