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18 weeks' worth of suspensions in the Challenge Cup, including a 10-week ban for a dangerous tackling Agen winger
A whopping 18 weeks’ worth of suspensions have been handed out following last weekend’s Challenge Cup round of 16, with Agen’s Jamie-Jerry Taulagi banned for ten weeks following his reckless tackle versus Benetton. Glasgow’s TJ Ioane and London Irish’s Will Goodrick-Clarke have respectively copped five- and three-week bans.
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It’s unusual in this day and age for a double-digit suspension to be given but that is what has transpired after Agen winger Taulagi was sent off by referee Christophe Ridley in the 62nd minute of away Challenge Cup loss to Benetton for a dangerous tackle on Marco Zanon.
The committee – comprising Matthew O’Grady (England, chair), Gordon Black (Ireland) and Declan Goodwin (Wales) – upheld the red card decision, finding that Taulagi had made contact with Zanon’s head in a dangerous manner which caused the Benetton player to be removed from the field of play with a suspected concussion.
At the time of the hearing on Tuesday, Zanon was undergoing the graduated return to play protocols and didn’t have a date for his return to training. It was determined that the offence was at the top end of World Rugby’s sanctions and 14 weeks was selected as the appropriate entry point.
Taking into account the player’s guilty plea and early expression of remorse, the committee reduced the sanction by four weeks before imposing a ten-week suspension. The exact date of the completion of the suspension will be clarified once all Agen’s remaining fixtures in the Top 14 are scheduled.
WHAT A FINISH! ?
Cardiff Blues think they've done enough to win with Jarrod Evans' late drop-goal…
But @Rona1Curtis has other ideas! Victory for @londonirish! ??#ChallengeCupRugby pic.twitter.com/inrOH6pe1H
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) April 2, 2021
Glasgow back row replacement Ioane was suspended for five weeks after he was sent off by referee Karl Dickson in the 58th minute for dangerously tackling Montpellier replacement Yvan Reilhac. A committee comprising Jennifer Donovan (Ireland, chair), Martyn Wood (England) and Yannick Jauzion (France) upheld the red card decision, finding that Ioane had made contact with Reilhac’s head in a dangerous manner.
It then determined that the offence was at the mid-range of sanctions and selected six weeks as an appropriate entry point. Taking into account the player’s guilty plea, the committee reduced the sanction by one week before imposing a five-week suspension which will be served once Glasgow’s fixtures in the Rainbow Cup are scheduled.
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Meanwhile, London Irish prop Goodrick-Clarke was suspended for three weeks following his sending off by referee Nika Amashukeli in the 46th minute of their win for tackling Cardiff Blues prop Dillon Lewis in a dangerous manner.
Roderick Dunlop (Scotland, chair), Antony Wheat (England) and Jamie Corsi (Wales) upheld the red card decision, finding that Goodrick-Clarke had made contact with Lewis’s head in a dangerous manner and they selected six weeks as the appropriate entry point.
Taking into account the player’s guilty plea, timely expression of remorse and good disciplinary record, the committee reduced the sanction by the maximum amount of 50 per cent before imposing a three-week suspension. That ban starts with the prop missing this Friday’s Challenge Cup quarter-final at Bath.
Andy Goode and Jim Hamilton had a few choice words to say on the latest episode of @TheRugbyPod when reviewing last Saturday's Champions Cup drama at the Ricoh#WASvASM
https://t.co/8VQFrpHjkd— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 7, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
Pretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
3 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to commentsJacobsen will definitely be in the 23
3 Go to commentsLots of discussion points, Ben, but two glaring follies IMO: 1. Blackadder at 6. Has done nothing so far this season to justify his selection. Did you see him going backwards in contact at the weekend? Simply has not got the physical presence at 6: we need a Scott Barrett or a Finau (or wildcard Ah Kuoi), beasts who are big enough to play lock, like Frizzell. If Barret played at 6, Paddy could be joined at lock by Vai’i or one of the young giants we need to promote, like Darry or Lord (if he ever gets on the field). Blackadder best left to join the queue for 7. 2. Not even a mention for Christie? Ratima gets caught at crucial times at the back of the ruck when he hesitates on the pass. The only way he starts would be if Christie and TJ are injured.
3 Go to commentsWhat a dagg in more ways than one
6 Go to commentsRegroup come back next year but sack some of the coaching team and don't be like the ABs last minute sacking. If Crusaders don't do well ABs don't do well.
5 Go to commentsProctor Definitely inform again this year had a hell of a season last year and this year is looking even better. Still mixed feelings about Ioane tho.
4 Go to commentsDagg is still trying to get enough headlines to make himself relevant enough to get a job. The Crusaders went back to square one at all levels. Shelve this season and nail the next one.
6 Go to commentsHe was in such great form. Sad for him but only a short term injury and it will be great to see him back for the finals.
1 Go to commentsAfter their 5/0 start, I had the Crusaders to finish Top 4 only…they lost the plot in Perth but will reload and back themselves vs 4th placed Rebels…
5 Go to commentsBoth nations missed a great opportunity to book a game that would have had a lot of interest from around the world. I understand these games can’t be organised in 5 minutes but they should have found a way to make it happen. I don’t think Wales are ducking anyone but it’s a bad look haha.
3 Go to commentsIt will be fascinating to see the effect that Jo Yapp has. If they can compete with Canada and give BFs a run for their money that will be progress
1 Go to commentsFollowing his dream and putting in the work. Go well young fella!
3 Go to commentsPerhaps filling Twickenham is one of Mitchell’s KPIs. I doubt whether both September matches will be at Twickenham on consecutive weekends. I would take the BF one to a large provincial stadium so as not to give them the advantage and experience of playing at Twickenham before a large crowd prior to the RWC.
3 Go to commentsvery unfortunate for Kitshoff, but big opportunity potentially for Nché to prove he is genuinely the best loosehead in the world, rather than just a specialist finisher. Presuming that if Kitshoff is out, it will also give Steenekamp a chance to come into the 23? Or are others likely to be ahead of him?
1 Go to commentsA long held question in popular culture asks if art imitates life or does the latter influence the former? Over this 6 nations I can ask the same question of the media influencing the thoughts of its audience or vice versa. Nobody wants to see cricket scores in rugby, as a spectacle it is not sustainable. With so many articles about England’s procession and lack of competition it feeds the epicaricacy of many looking for an opportunity to pounce. England are not the first team to dominate nor does it happen only in rugby, think Federer, Nadal, Red Bull or Mercedes, Manchester Utd, Australia in tests and World Cups. Instead of celebrating the achievements why find reasons to falsify it pointing towards larger playing pool, professional for a longer period or mitigate with the lack of growth in other nations. Can we not enjoy it while it is here and know that it won’t last for ever, others coveting what England have will soon take the crown, ask the aforementioned?
6 Go to commentsShame he won’t turn out for the Netherlands now they’re improving. U20s are Euro champs and in the U20 Trophy this year. The senior sides gets better every year too.
3 Go to commentsWill rugbypass tv be showing these games?
1 Go to commentsWell where do you start, the fact that England have a professional domestic league and Ireland’s is fully amatuer, that they have fully seperated professional squads at Fifteens and Sevens (7’s thinly disguised as GB), and Ireland have fully pro Sevens squad who loan some players back to the Semi-Professional Fifteens squad (moved from amateur for only a year or so) for a few games at 6N & RWC’s. The Women’s games is a shambles, and is at risk of killing itself by pushing for professionalism when the market isn’t really there to support it outside one or two countnries..
6 Go to commentsWayne Smith's input didn't have as much impact on the last final as Davison's red card for Thompson. England were 14 points up and flying when that happened.
6 Go to comments