Jonny May banned after 'highly reckless' tackle on Ollie Lawrence
Jonny May, the Gloucester winger who recently announced his Test rugby retirement, has copped a three-game ban after getting cited for dangerous play during his club’s Gallagher Premiership defeat last Friday at home to Bath.
The Steve Borthwick Rugby World Cup selection favourite made head contact with England colleague Ollie Lawrence during the early part of his club’s 45-27 loss at Kingsholm.
A disciplinary hearing was held on Tuesday and the verdict emerged on Wednesday afternoon. The 33-year-old May admitted the offence and was suspended for three games, a sanction that will be reduced to two if he attends World Rugby tackle school.
Successful completion of that initiative would free him to take part in Gloucester’s December 2 game away to Bristol after missing this Sunday’s trip to Exeter and the November 25 game at home to Leicester, his former club.
The 10-page written verdict accompanying the RFU media release included a letter written by Bath’s head of medical services, Rory Murray. It read: “I can confirm that Ollie Lawrence sustained a broken nose from the shoulder-to-head collision in the first half of the Gloucester vs Bath game.
“Prior to this incident, Ollie had no previous nasal issues, nor any predisposing factors. This fracture is solely a result of the injury sustained in the game.”
A follow-up email added: “Undisplaced nasal fracture confirmed. Ollie Lawrence will remain fit for selection. He will not miss any upcoming fixtures arising from this injury.”
Lawrence, in a WhatsApp message provided as evidence, stated: “During the early minutes of last night’s game, I was hit off the ball at a ruck in the face by Jonny May. He came from distance and there was a head-on-head collision.
“My nose was broken/fractured during the incident and that will obviously be with me for my career. I don’t believe it was intentional at all but the facts are the facts. Deal with it as you may.”
In his evidence, May explained in a written statement: “I did feel contact to my head, but at the time I was unaware I had made head contact with Bath 13. Due to the dynamic nature of play (linebreak, try-scoring opportunity), players are moving at speed and the change of picture changes my decision from looking to receive an offload to clearing out a defender.
“I admit I made contact with Bath 13 (head-on-head). I had no intention of hurting or making contact with Ollie Lawrence’s head. I apologise for the incident which, due to the dynamic nature of play, the change of picture and my adjustment to this all in a fraction of a second, I fail to reduce my height appropriately.
“I’m relieved that Ollie was able to continue and finish the match, although I apologise for the injury caused to him. I pride myself on my work ethic and developing my game, and I will be working on my decision-making and attacking breakdown technique in training, and I will ensure I continue to improve in this area.”
In reaching its verdict, the disciplinary committee outlined: “The panel gave serious and prolonged consideration to whether this incident merited a top-end entry point. Jonny May’s actions were not intentional but were highly reckless.
“He targeted a player who was not part of a ruck and made direct head-to-head contact with sufficient speed to drive Ollie Lawrence off his feet and back over his own try line. Jonny May made little, if any, attempt to lower his body height and in targeting a player who was not part of the breakdown, his actions were always illegal.
“Jonny May had a clear line of sight to the incident and, as such, there are no factors which might excuse, even in part, the recklessness of his actions.”
- Click here to read the 10-page disciplinary hearing short judgment form
Comments on RugbyPass
I’d say France was far more hard done by in the 2011 final than the All Blacks in this game. Joubert simply refused to call a penalty against the All Blacks in the last quarter even directing an All Black to drop a ball he picked up in an offside position rather than penalizing him. This article also totally discounts the efforts of PSTD. Ask Jordie how well he played. Or the backup flank who played hooker for the entire game. Siya was also a brilliant tackle by Richie from scoring a blinder. Pollard was also fantastic. Look I don’t like the boks style but the only thing more questionable than the content of this article is the timing of it. Get over it already
139 Go to commentsDad Marty was also a handy rugby player for Linwood back in the day. Great bloke. Sensational softball career.
2 Go to commentsWhat ifs are always dangerous. If you look at the game before Sam cane got sent of SA was dominating. You could make the argument the going down to 14 men rallied the troops and made them have to play to win which is always dangerous.
139 Go to commentsOmg… you are bruised And battered Benny. Stop crying … the scoreboard speaks. What a pathetic lover you are.. 🤣🤣🤣
139 Go to commentsPacific Lions, cry me a river
139 Go to commentsThis is the single worst piece of journalism I have ever seen since your last one. As a neutral, who really states that there should be an asterisk next to a win? You are an utter embarrassment to real AB fans, journalism and that joke of a house which pays you for this nonsense. Get a life, Ben.
139 Go to commentsGuys. Cancel the World Cup champions after this analysis. It changes everything. Ben knows. We’ll have to unengrave the Bokke off the trophy and hand it to the ABs, now that I’ve been enlightened about this illegitimate win. This needs to be done. Now!
139 Go to commentsBen is right here though, Springboks were woefully poor with the advantage they had throughout this game. The France match was heroic because that was an even contest this match had it taken place in Rugby Championship would have been an easy win for NZ. If anything this match should tell the Bok coaches that a lot of this team should be changed. They beat this same NZ team by record margin with the same circumstances but with a different core. They bring back the tried and tested guys and they nearly botch this game.
139 Go to commentsI knew who wrote this article from the first few words in the headline…lol. The red card actually did the ABs a favour. It galvanized them, only then did they step up a gear. Before that there was zero momentum.
139 Go to commentsFirstly the foul on Bongi was a planned move just like the NZ master plan with Bryce Lawrence you kiwis are filthy fux perhaps try to play a cleaner game next time I doubt that’s possible tho but don’t worry world rugby is on yr side they trying to take away all the BOKS strengths to help all you weakling as Jeremy Clarkson would say LA OO ZA ERR..🤣
139 Go to commentsAbsolutely spot on Ben. I certainly wouldn't gloat over a win like that. Frustrating as it is it's done and dusted and history will forever show the result.
139 Go to commentsHo hum.
139 Go to commentsNo question they were the better team. But that is the beauty of sport isn’t it!
139 Go to commentsEveryone is into Hurling in Ireland according to Porter, but only 11 of Ireland's 32 counties enter a team into the national competition. Same old blarney.
1 Go to commentsLet’s be honest. The draw and scheduling in the World Cup was a joke but South Africa found a way after having to go the hard (nearly impossible) way to the Cup Final via France and England. NZ had a hard game against France (lost) and had 5 weeks to prepare for the Quarter, 3 weeks knowing it was Ireland. NZ theerfore had to win one big game against an Irish team who played SA and then Scotland 7 days before. They won and it was de facto a semi final because they were playing a relatively weak Argentina team and it was a walk over. In the final a very rested NZ team was playing a very tired SA team and still lost. They couldn’t score more than 11 points. Put another way SA had to find a way to win while tired and they achieved that. NZ should thank their lucky stars that they fixed the scheduling in 2015 otherwise they would be dealing with a Bok treble.
139 Go to commentsPerhaps if Bongi wasn’t targeted and removed from the game in the first 3 minutes it would have been quite a different game. Maybe if NZ also faced the same competition the Boks faced to their win NZ would have looked quite different. The final score shows who outplayed who.
139 Go to commentsRubbish article! Abuladze played most of Exeters matches when fit. He got injured against Glasgow a while ago and is out for the rest of the season, thats why he hasnt played for Exeter and Georgia recently. Do some proper research next time!
1 Go to commentsGotta love it when kids throw their toys out the pram and can’t hack it with the grown ups debate. Here’s looking at you turlough! 😉🤣
148 Go to commentsThey lost the game period move on
139 Go to commentsSpringboks won! Stop winging. You can change the game however much you and your rugby colonizing IRB want to and the Springboks will win you at that too. Your mind is colonized my friend get a life
139 Go to comments