The Montpellier Herault Rugby second row, Paul Willemse, has been suspended for five weeks following an independent Disciplinary Hearing arising from his club’s EPCR Challenge Cup, Round of 16 match against Ulster Rugby at the GGL Stadium on Sunday.
Willemse was sent off by referee Ben Whitehouse (Wales) in the 41st minute of the match for tackling the Ulster Rugby fullback, Will Addison, in a dangerous manner in contravention of Law 9.13.
Law 9.13 A player must not tackle an opponent early, late or dangerously.
Under World Rugby’s Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 9.13 carries the following sanction entry points - Low End: two weeks; Mid-range: six weeks; Top end: 10 to 52 weeks.
An independent Disciplinary Committee comprising Benjamin Rutherford (Ireland), Chair, Bogdan Zebega (Romania) and Leon Lloyd (England) studied video imagery of the incident and heard evidence from Willemse who accepted the red card decision.
The committee also heard submissions from the player’s legal representative, Christian Chevalier, from the Montpellier Herault Rugby Director of Rugby, Bernard Laporte, from the Montpellier Herault Rugby legal representative, Joris Loupien and from the EPCR Disciplinary Officer, Liam McTiernan.
The committee upheld the red card decision determining that Willemse had tackled Addison in a dangerous and reckless manner. It was then decided that the offending was at the mid-range of World Rugby’s sanctions and six weeks was selected as the appropriate entry point.
Taking into account the player’s guilty plea, the committee decided to reduce the sanction by one week before imposing a five-week suspension.
As Willemse is currently unavailable to play due to injury, the precise dates of his period of suspension will be communicated as soon as practicable.
Meanwhile, the Benetton Rugby hooker, Giacomo Nicotera, has been suspended for three weeks following the decision of an independent Judicial Officer arising from his club’s EPCR Challenge Cup, Round of 16 match against the Emirates Lions at Stadio Comunale di Monigo on Saturday.
Nicotera was sent off by referee Christophe Ridley (England) in the 44th minute of the match for clearing out the Emirates Lions second row, Darrien Landsberg, at a ruck in a dangerous manner in contravention of Law 9.20b.
Law 9.20b A player must not make contact with an opponent above the line of the shoulders.
Under World Rugby’s Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 9.20b carries the following sanction entry points - Low End: two weeks; Mid-range: four weeks; Top end: eight to 52 weeks.
The independent Judicial Officer, Matthew O’Grady (England), heard the case on a papers only basis and he upheld the red card decision determining that Nicotera had made contact with Landsberg’s head in a dangerous and reckless manner.
He decided that the offending was at the mid-range of World Rugby’s sanctions and selected four weeks as the appropriate entry point. Taking into account the player’s guilty plea and good disciplinary record, he reduced the sanction by one week before imposing a three-week suspension.
Nicotera is free to play on Monday, 29 April, however, if he applies for and successfully completes a World Rugby Coaching Intervention, he will be free to play on Monday, 22 April.
Both players and EPCR have the right to appeal the decision.
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