Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
NZ NZ

Five players banned for total of 16 weeks following colourful Rainbow Cup weekend

By Sam Smith
Will Addison (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Five PRO14 players have amassed a collective 16 weeks of bans following a card laden weekend of Rainbow Cup action.

ADVERTISEMENT

WILL ADDISON
Ulster’s Will Addison has been banned for a period of four weeks as a result of his red card in the Guinness PRO14 Rainbow Cup Round 2 fixture with Munster on Friday, May 7, 2021.

Addison was shown a red card by Referee Craig Evans (WRU) under 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 lie of the shoulders even if the tackle starts below the line of the shoulders.

Video Spacer

Episode 29 – Lions Legend Jeremy Guscott, Jamie Roberts and Ryan Wilson React and Reminisce ahead of Lions Tour

Video Spacer

Episode 29 – Lions Legend Jeremy Guscott, Jamie Roberts and Ryan Wilson React and Reminisce ahead of Lions Tour

The disciplinary process concluded that a mid-range offence had occurred, with a mid-range entry point of six weeks. In order to determine the ultimate sanction, the Judicial Officer considered the lack of aggravating circumstances and the range of mitigating factors advanced by the Player.

The fullback is suspended from participating in the next four meaningful matches.

MARK BENNETT
Edinburgh’s Mark Bennett has been suspended for a period of three weeks following receiving a red card in the Guinness PRO14 Round 2 fixture with Glasgow Warriors on Friday, May 7, 2021.

Bennett was shown a red card by referee Adam Jones (WRU) under 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 lie of the shoulders even if the tackle starts below the line of the shoulders.

The Disciplinary process for the red card offence was presided over by Judicial Officer Declan Goodwin (WRU) who concluded that a mid-range offence had occurred, which carries a six-week suspension. Having considered all the evidence, a reduction of three weeks was applied. The Scotland international is suspended from participating in the next three meaningful matches.

ADVERTISEMENT

OLI KEBBLE
Glasgow Warriors prop Oliver Kebble has been banned for a period of three weeks. Kebble was shown a red card during the Guinness PRO14 Rainbow Cup Round 2 fixture against Edinburgh Rugby on Saturday, May 7.

The giant prop was shown a red card by Referee Adam Jones (WRU) under Law 9.12 – A Player must not physically or verbally abuse anyone. Physical abuse includes but is not limited to, biting, punching, contact with the eye or eye area, striking with any part of the arm including stuff-arm tackles), shoulder, head or knee(s), stamping, trampling tripping or kicking.

The Disciplinary Process of the red card offence was presided over by Judicial Officer Owain Rhys James (WRU), who concluded that an act of foul play had occurred. The incident was found to merit a mid-range entry point, which indicates a six-week suspension for this offence. Having considered all available evidence and the player’s previous disciplinary record, a reduction of 50 percent was applied, bringing the ban to three weeks.

Kebble is suspended from participating in the next three meaningful matches.

RHYS LAWRENCE
Dragons’ Rhys Lawrence has been suspended for a period of three weeks as a result of his red card in the Guinness PRO14 Rainbow Cup Round 2 fixture with Cardiff Blues on Sunday, May 9, 2021.

ADVERTISEMENT

Lawrence was shown a red card by referee Mike Adamson (IRFU) under Law 9.20 – Dangerous play in a ruck or maul.

He accepted he had committed an act of foul play involving contact with the head of an opposition player which warranted a red card. The Judicial Officer concluded that a mid-range offence had occurred, carrying a six-week suspension. Having considered all available evidence, mitigation of 50 per cent was applied, bringing the ban to three weeks.

Lawrence is suspended from participating in the next three meaningful matches.

OWEN LANE
Cardiff Blues’ wing Owen Lane has been suspended for a period of three weeks after receiving a red card in the Guinness PRO14 Round 2 fixture against Dragons Rugby on Sunday, May 9, 2021.

Lane was shown a red card referee by Mike Adamson (SRU) under 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 lie of the shoulders even if the tackle starts below the line of the shoulders.

It was concluded that a mid-range act of foul play had occurred, carrying a six-week suspension. In order to determine the ultimate sanction, the Judicial Officer considered the lack of aggravating circumstances and the range of mitigating factors advanced by the player. The Judicial Officer concluded that mitigation of 50 percent should be applied, therefor Lane is banned from participating in the next three meaningful matches.

 

ADVERTISEMENT

Join free

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | Episode 6

Sam Warburton | The Big Jim Show | Full Episode

Japan Rugby League One | Sungoliath v Eagles | Full Match Replay

Japan Rugby League One | Spears v Wild Knights | Full Match Replay

Boks Office | Episode 10 | Six Nations Final Round Review

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | How can New Zealand rugby beat this Ireland team

Beyond 80 | Episode 5

Rugby Europe Men's Championship Final | Georgia v Portugal | Full Match Replay

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

J
Jon 9 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”?

35 Go to comments
FEATURE
FEATURE Juan Ignacio Brex: 'Italy made history, but it's not enough' Juan Ignacio Brex: 'Italy made history, but it's not enough'
Search