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Stormers' URC title hopes take a hit as Bok Damian Willemse banned
By Josh Raisey
Already facing the daunting task of travelling to take on reigning champions Glasgow Warriors in the United Rugby Championship quarter-finals on May 30, the Stormers have now learned that they will have to do it without Springbok Damian Willemse.
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The double World Cup winner was red carded in the Stormers’ final game of the regular season last Friday for a high tackle on Gabriel Hamer-Webb as his side won 34-24 in Cape Town.
The 27-year-old faced a disciplinary panel this week, charged with contravening Law 9.11 – Player’s must not do anything that is reckless or dangerous to others including leading with the elbow or forearm, or jumping into, or over, a tackler.
Following the hearing, it was determined that the tackle did warrant a red card, with a mid-range entry point, which carries a six-week ban.
The ban was halved, however, due to his good record, acceptance of foul play, remorse and good conduct.
There is a further boost for the Springbok though, as the ban can be reduced by a further week should he complete the World Rugby Coaching Intervention Programme, colloquially known as ‘tackle school’.
A two-week ban would mean that Willemse would be available for the URC final, should the Stormers get there.
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The challenges do not get harder for the Cape Town outfit though, as they must overcome Glasgow in Scotstoun before a likely trip to Dublin to face league-leaders Leinster to even be in with a chance of lifting their second URC title in three years. Their journey to the final will be all the harder without one of their star players.
A URC statement reads: “In the Player’s responses to the Judicial Officer overseeing the disciplinary process (Jennifer Donovan), he had accepted that he had committed an act of foul play which warranted a Red Card. Ms. Donovan found that the incident met the Red Card threshold, with entry of mid-range warranting six weeks. The Player received three weeks (50%) mitigation due to his good record which results in a three game suspension.”
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Player safety is super important, but the red card approach to it has wrecked the game. There are better solutions, and WR really needs to move on from this blunt tool.
A player being sent off can result in their team losing the game, and a subsequent suspension (as in this case) can change the outcome of an entire tournament. There are circumstances in which that seems fair, for example in the recent case of a player repeatedly stamping on someone’s head. However, we are doling out red cards and subsequent suspensions for things that not only are not intentional law breaking, but are really just errors or momentary lapses in concentration. By all means let’s have consequences for this, but it needs to be proportionate.
For Stormers fans and non-fans alike it is a delight to see that backline in full creative flight. And for a sport that is looking to appeal to new audiences that is exactly the spectacle you want center stage. The loss of Willemse is a very high price to pay, for him, for his team, for the URC, and for rugby more broadly.
I don’t know about anyone else, but I tend to lose interest when things head down the red card and suspension path. It’s an extremely consequential sanction that should be used far more sparingly than is currently the case.
Tough break. You want to see all the best squads line up in the quarters. That said Glasgow v Stormers has makings of an epic. 7-8 days away but honestly this years URC playoffs feel bigger and better than ever before. The SA teams feel far more bedded in and all Nations starting to feel a little pride in their tournament.