Gabrillagues' appeal result not a good look for World Rugby
Paul Gabrillagues’ World Cup ambitions have been revived after he successfully appealed the six-week sanction handed down for foul play (contrary to Law 9.20) in the Test match between France and Scotland in Nice on August 17.
The French lock feared being left out of Jacques Brunel’s travelling 31 and his suspension meant he would miss three of his country’s four pool matches.
This prospect caused consternation, with some French commentators aghast at the length of the Gabrillagues’ ban compared to the leniency shown to Scott Barrett who was only suspended for three weeks after he was send off in the All Blacks‘ Rugby Championship defeat to Australia.
However, the halving of Gabrillagues’ punishment to a three-week penalty means he will now only miss one match at the World Cup, the opener against Argentina on September 21, and leaves World Rugby red-faced that its original six-week suspension hasn’t been vindicated.
Gabrillagues’ appeal was heard in London by an independent appeal committee comprising Christopher Quinlan QC (chair), Adam Casselden (Australia) and David Croft (former Australia player).
?? #XVDeFrance
Sanction allégée pour Paul Gabrillagues, suffisant pour intégrer le groupe des 31 ? ?
La réponse de Jacques Brunel en conférence de presse ?? pic.twitter.com/lZZpUwkXXm
— CANAL+ Rugby (@CanalplusRugby) August 28, 2019
Having considered all the evidence and submissions by the player and his representative, the appeal committee determined that the act of foul play contrary to Law 9.20 merited a mid-range entry point, which has a starting point of six weeks.
The appeal committee found that there were no aggravating factors but in light of Gabrillagues’ admission, the fact the appeal committee accepted his account of the incident and other relevant features of mitigation, the committee reduced the suspension to three weeks.
Considérant la sanction en première instance très lourde et après discussion avec Paul, nous avons décidé d’interjeter appel de la sanction émise en première instance. @FranceRugby @WorldRugby_FR
— Serge Simon (@DrSergeSIMON) August 21, 2019
Gabrillagues is presently in the France squad named for the World Cup and his period of three weeks will operate across the following matches:
- Scotland v France on August 24 – for which he was suspended and did not play in, when otherwise he would have done, and therefore it counts as one match for the purposes of that suspension;
- France v Italy on August 30; and
- France v Argentina on September 21 France’s first RWC 2019 match).
???? Vendredi soir, le #XVdeFrance affronte l'Italie pour son dernier match de préparation avant la Coupe du Monde ! Voici votre équipe pour cette rencontre au @StadeFrance ! #FRAITA #NeFaisonsXV #RWC2019 pic.twitter.com/x2A4vKlwR1
— France Rugby (@FranceRugby) August 27, 2019
France, meanwhile, have made nine changes to the team to face the Italians following last Saturday’s loss to Scotland in Edinburgh. In the front row, Jefferson Poirot inherits the captain’s armband and will play his third match with Rabah Slimani. Camille Chat is at hooker.
In the second row, Arthur Iturria will lock with Romain Taofifenua while the back row features Wenceslas Lauret, Yacouba Camara and Louis Picamoles.
The half-backs are Antoine Dupont and Romain Ntamack, Yoann Huget returns to the wing and Maxime Medard is at full-back. Wesley Fofana will link with Sofiane Guitoune, pushing Gael Fickou out to the wing.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Je suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
25 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
25 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
25 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
25 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
11 Go to comments