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Eastmond and Pennell pick up bans

By Online Editors
Kyle Eastmond and Chris Pennell (Getty Images)

Kyle Eastmond appeared before an independent disciplinary panel on Tuesday over his red card that he picked up in
Leicester Tigers 41-10 defeat at the hands of Bristol Bears on Saturday.

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The Tigers were forced to play with 14-men for the majority of the match after centre Eastmond was red-carded for a high shot on Ian Madigan in the 25th minute of the match.

He was charged with a dangerous tackle, contrary to Law 9.13.

Eastmond plead guilty to the charge and was suspended for four weeks by the independent disciplinary panel comprising of John Brennan (chair), Matt Bayliss and Tony Wheat. He is free to play again on 1 January 2019.

Independent panel chair John Brennan said:”The player accepted the charge and accepted through his representative that the entry point was mid-range due to there being direct contact to the head of the opponent. The panel acknowledged his plea, his remorse for the incident and his apology but could not give the player full mitigation of 50% due to his having been sanctioned for dangerous tackling last season. As such, the entry point was reduced by two weeks rather than three.”

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Worcester Warriors fullback Chris Pennell also appeared before an independent disciplinary panel on Tuesday charged with tackling Charlie Sharples of Gloucester Rugby whose feet were off the ground causing him to land in a dangerous position, contrary to Law 9.17.

The incident occurred in the 57th minute of the match Gloucester’s 36-16 win over Worcester on Saturday.

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Pennell plead guilty and the independent disciplinary panel comprising of John Brennan (chair), Matt Bayliss and Tony Wheat suspended him for two weeks. He is free to play again on 18 December 2018.

Independent panel chair John Brennan said: “The panel accepted that this was a reckless challenge caused by a misjudgement on the player’s part. Fortunately, no significant injury was caused. The panel found the entry point was low-end. There were no aggravating features and the player was entitled to full mitigation of 50% because he admitted the charge, had a hitherto unblemished record, despite a long career, and had expressed remorse.”

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Jon 8 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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j
john 11 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

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