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Bath explain why they didn't appeal Obano ban as they brace themselves for another Dunn red card suspension
Bath boss Stuart Hopper has shed light on why the club ultimately didn’t appeal the five-game ban recently handed down to tighthead Beno Obano following his Gallagher Premiership red card at Wasps. The prop was sent off in the closing stages of the April 25 defeat at The Ricoh and Hopper was perplexed when he faced media ahead of the following week’s Challenge Cup semi-final after just learning that the Obano red had been categorised as a top-end range offence.
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Usually, the pattern for red-carded dangerous tackles in the Premiership is a mid-range entry point where players are given a six-week ban that is then reduced to just three weeks after 50 per cent mitigation is applied.
However, because Wasps’ Ben Morris wound up with a broken nose, the high Bath tackle executed by Obano was deemed to be a more serious offence and it left the front-rower facing a potential ten-week ban before the 50 per cent reduction was applied.
“I’m disappointed where it has ended up,” said Hooper at the time. “I find it very confusing if I am honest… we just need to be very careful about the sanctions that are given and why they are given.
“I need clarification because what I have here is a young man who is in the prime of his career and he wants to be pushing on and playing in big games at the club. We just need to look and make sure of everything and we are clear on why it has happened.”
Disciplinary update | @BathRugby's Beno Obano has been given a five week suspension following his red card against Wasps.
Read the full judgement here: https://t.co/C1zAZyZzGE pic.twitter.com/h38Tp3ALlc
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) April 28, 2021
Hooper has now revisited the Obano situation at his latest Bath media briefing, acknowledging that the clarification he sought was received and that it tempered his initial agitated reaction to the length of the suspension. “It was very clear,” he said looking back on the decision reached by the disciplinary panel. “For appeal, you can’t just appeal because you don’t like what the outcome is, there has to be a reason for appeal. Of course, we would have loved Beno to be available for more time but the process was followed and we accepted the outcome so there wasn’t an appeal.
“It’s difficult but that’s reality, that’s the framework, the framework was applied. That doesn’t mean because it is hard we should appeal. We appeal if we feel like it wasn’t followed properly and the correct process wasn’t applied but in this case, it was and Beno has been contrite the whole way through. He wishes it didn’t happen, it did and we move on.”
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With hooker Tom Dunn red-carded in last Saturday’s defeat to Bristol, his second in six weeks, it means that Bath have suffered four red cards in their last four Premiership matches, a concerning issue for Hooper whose side won’t be repeating last year’s feat of reaching the semi-finals.
“The red cards are where we have felt the pinch,” he said, reflecting on a situation where Bath are in seventh place, 18 points behind Harlequins in fourth with just four matches remaining. “Across them when you look at them there is not a common theme.
“Tom’s one last weekend was a kind of second-man incident in the tackle and the one previously was a more off-the-ball incident against London Irish. Look, we know that those things as a group we need to brush up on those and that is something we are working on.
“When the boys are in the high-pressure games we need to rely on our work and be confident from the work we have done in the week rather than searching for things and that is where we have probably gone wrong a little bit with the red cards.”
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The speculation follows Joseph's recent revelation that he fears his England career is over at the age of 29 https://t.co/L9olLgzZA1
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 11, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
I hope Leinster’s proud of themselves fielding a poor team. They should decide if they’re all in or not.
1 Go to commentsJordie is looking at 16 games maximum if Leinster reach both the URC and champions cup finals. Thats not guaranteed. Some of those home URC fixtures will be cakewalks as well for Leinster and there is not much doing during the 6 nations in Feb and March so he can probably get a decent rest then. He will have to really put in it for maybe 7 or 8 games max. It should be a good move for both.
13 Go to commentsThe game was a quarter final, not a semi final. Barrett will be here for 6 months, he is no one's replacement at 13. That mantle will most likely ultimately go to Jamie Osborne, though Garry Ringrose has at least 4 more years in him. The long term problem position (in the next 3 years) for Leinster is tighthead prop, though there are a couple of prospects at schools level.
25 Go to commentsSo much for all that hype surrounding the ‘revival’ of Aussie rugby. The Blues were without the likes of regular starters Perofeta, Sullivan, Christie etc… This was a capitulation of the highest order by Australia’s finest. Joe Schmidt definitely has his work cut out for him.
2 Go to commentsYes they can ignore Sotutu. Like Akira Ioane plays OK at Super level but gets lost in tests. Too many chances too many failures.
2 Go to commentsA wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
13 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
13 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
6 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
25 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
6 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to comments