The Super Rugby Pacific Foul Play Review Committee (FPRC) has found Raymond Tuputupu of the Hurricanes guilty of contravening Law 9.13 - A player must not tackle an opponent early, late or dangerously. Dangerous tackling includes, but is not limited to, tackling or attempting to tackle an opponent above the line of the shoulders even if the tackle starts below the line of the shoulders.
Tuputupu been suspended from all forms of the game for three weeks, up to and including 14 June.
The incident occurred in the seventhth minute of the match between Chiefs and Hurricanes at FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton on Friday.
The FPRC comprising Stephen Hardy (Chairman), Ofisa Tonu’u and Stefan Terblanche assessed the incident.
In his finding, FPRC Chairman Hardy ruled as follows: "Having conducted a detailed review of all the available evidence, including all camera angles and additional evidence, including from the player and submissions from the player's legal representative Aaron Lloyd, the Foul Play Review Committee (FPRC) upheld the red card and found the player to have contravened Law 9.13.
“Applying World Rugby’s Head Contact Process, the FPRC assessed the player's actions as including direct head contact which was made to the victim player with the player’s shoulder at high speed, with the player’s body position always moving upwards and towards the collision. The FPRC assessed the act as reckless.
“In the FPRC’s view, no sudden or significant change in height or direction, a late change in dynamics (or any other relevant mitigating factor set out within the Head Contact Process) to result in mitigation sufficient to downgrade the incident to a yellow card.
"The entry point for the offence was six weeks (assessed as mid-range in line with World Rugby’s mandate and given there were no other factors applicable, in this instance, to increase the entry point). The player was given a discount for entering an early guilty plea (and other relevant mitigating factors including remorse and prior disciplinary record), reducing the suspension from six weeks to three weeks. The player is therefore suspended up to and including 14 June 2024.”
The player is eligible to apply for the World Rugby “Head Contact Process – Coaching Intervention” process.
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