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Thursday
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Gallagher Premiership

Toby Knight banned despite Saracens claiming red was a yellow card

Saracens' Toby Knight tackles Bath's Ollie Lawrence, leading to a red card in last weekend's Gallagher Premiership match (Photo by Bob Bradford/CameraSport via Getty Images)

Saracens forward Toby Knight has been hit with a three-game ban following last weekend’s sending-off at Bath. The soon-to-be 22-year-old was given his marching orders by referee Karl Dickson just minutes into the London club’s Gallagher Premiership match at The Rec.

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Mark McCall’s side were trailing 0-7 when the openside was punished for his shoulder to the head of Ollie Lawrence and they struggled a man short, going on lose by a record 10-68 scoreline.

Knight will now miss this Saturday’s home league match versus Bristol and next weekend’s trip to Ireland to face Munster in the Investec Champions Cup. However, he can become available for the final match of his ban – the January 19 European game at home to Castres – if he successfully completes tackle school.

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A statement read: “The case of Saracens’ Toby Knight was heard by an independent panel chaired by Charles Cuthbert, sitting with Mitch Read and Veryan Boscawen.

“Knight was shown a red card for a high tackle, contrary to World Rugby law 9.13, during a game against Bath on December 28. The charge was upheld and Knight received a three-match ban which will be reduced to two if he successfully completes the World Rugby coaching intervention programme.”

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Knight accepted at the hearing that he had committed foul play but in the 10-page verdict published by the RFU, Warrick Lang, the head of culture and rugby manager at Saracens, claimed: “We have no issue with the official’s first two steps of the head contact process. Head contact had occurred, we accept there was foul play but that a yellow card would have been sufficient for this instance.

“We contest that the third step and the fourth step in the HCP were in error, but we wish to put on record that we don’t criticise the officials for how they dealt with this as we have been afforded the time to closely analyse the footage with no time pressure.”

  • Click here to read the full 10-page written verdict from the Toby Knight hearing

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How law changes are speeding up the game - but the scrum lags behind

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Comments on RugbyPass

H
Head high tackle 4 minutes ago
Scott Robertson has to take charge of his All Blacks in 2025

He has no backs plan. Constantly changes their priorities, kicking, running plans and just confuses his 9 and 10. The way he dropped Dmac for the France game was nothing but hate from Razor. Why on earth would you go back to BB at 10 after the English test where Dmac had to save the match, was confusing. Razor failed in 2024 and if something isnt improved he will be gone in 2025.He desperately needs a backs coach. Get the Chiefs backs coach. That coach seems to be able to get a backline moving. Come to think about it plenty of NPC sides had better performing backlines. Taranaki were great, BOP, Tasman.... Plenty of backs coaches got their sides performing better than Razor got the ABs backs performing.

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M
Mzilikazi 14 minutes ago
How law changes are speeding up the game - but the scrum lags behind

"the laws are not only for pro players but also amateurs and school players and by rushing scrums lives will be at stake." I think, Rug, that is a very good point to make. And especially at amateur and schools level. That is where the greatest danger lies. Serious mismatches will occur, and that is where one would judge(I don't have any stats. at hand) the serious injuries and deaths occur. Actually at International level I can only recall two serious prop injuries in the past 40/50 years. Ben Darwin and very recently Steven Kitshoff. At this level, props have years of conditioning and technique behind them. The contests are safer, or as safe as it is poosble to be.

47 Go to comments
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GP 21 minutes ago
Scott Robertson has to take charge of his All Blacks in 2025

Good points. The on going selection of Reiko at 13 is a bug bear for many. Billy Proctor did not get much of a go. Levi Aumua for Tasman and Dallas McLeod for Canterbury had fine NPC's.The latter got in the NZ 15. They will push on with the Crusaders I believe. There are others. I agree Jordie Barrett will benefit with a season with Leinster. He has a lot to offer long term.

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Mzilikazi 24 minutes ago
How law changes are speeding up the game - but the scrum lags behind

Regarding the scrum, I would pick up on your point made below, Nick. "....reffing the scrum is not easy at all, prob the single most difficult area in the books." Those of us who have coached the scrum, and /or refereed, would fully agree. And I have read on the pages of rugby forums for years now the opinion of experienced international props. "I could not detect exactly what happened in that particular scrum"


Ofc the problem is heightened when the referee has not played in the pack, has never been in a scrum. It is very clear, at least to me, that many top level referees don't begin to understand the mechanics of the scrum.


I feel the laws are adequate as they stand to a great extent. The problem, as I see it, is that referees right up to top level just don't apply them in the the letter of the law or in the spirit they should .


Any significant downward pressure by a prop to cause a collapse should be penalised. For example look at the scrum clip at 54.49 mins. It is the Leinster LH who forces downwards first, then the Munster TH "pancakes" I believe the Leinster prop is the offender there.


I also think that with most of the wheels in those clips, it was Leinster who are the offenders. That can be hard to pick though in many cases. Another point is the hooker standing up. That was being penalised 3/4 years ago. So Kellaher would have been penalised back then in that first clip at 04.17.


I think the directive should be given now to referees at all levels to stop giving penalties simply because a team is being moved backwards. And the directive should be "order the team with the ball to clear it, and within 3 secs."


It would help if a change was made to remove the option to take another scrum after a penalty is awarded. Must take a tap or a kick.

47 Go to comments
U
Utiku Old Boy 1 hour ago
Scott Robertson has to take charge of his All Blacks in 2025

Agreed GC.

36 Go to comments
U
Utiku Old Boy 1 hour ago
Scott Robertson has to take charge of his All Blacks in 2025

Like others, I was underwhelmed by Razor in his first year and couldn't understand why he persisted with players who were out of form. All of a sudden, "experience" was the holy grail for selections and up-and-comers mainly got a shot through injury. I had high hopes after Foster and was disappointed in the lack of clarity in game plan and selection. I think Hamish has articulated what a lot of AB supporters feel and count this year's disappointment due to nerves from the big stage and from "too many voices" in the coaching group. I don't think Razor gets another pass if 2025 is marked by the same reticence, confusion and conservatism.

36 Go to comments
M
Mitch 1 hour ago
How law changes are speeding up the game - but the scrum lags behind

I don’t really see what the issue is with teams scrumming for penalties*

I thoroughly enjoyed it when the Wallabies did it during the 2015 World Cup, especially against England as in 2005 the English embarrassed the Aussie scrum.

47 Go to comments
J
James 1 hour ago
How law changes are speeding up the game - but the scrum lags behind

Technically it doesn’t affect “ball in play” time but for the viewer the stoppages from injury breaks are the worst. Everyone knows what’s going on, the team with the 140kg forwards needs the game stopped for a breather. The simple fix is if you require medical attention you must be substituted.

47 Go to comments
G
GrahamVF 2 hours ago
How law changes are speeding up the game - but the scrum lags behind

Stellenbosch rugger scholarship from Doc? are you kidding????

47 Go to comments
G
GrahamVF 2 hours ago
How law changes are speeding up the game - but the scrum lags behind

Absolutely Nick. That was what meant by a strong right shoulder especially when it opens up a blind side. Two captains picking up sides from a line of players at a koppe stamp practice - first choice - Tight head - second choice - someone who can kick the ball between the post eight out of ten. Going to win a lot more games than lose. The scrum as an attacking weapon rather than a scrum as a penalty - absolutely 🙂

47 Go to comments
N
NB 2 hours ago
How law changes are speeding up the game - but the scrum lags behind

Are you a WP man G?

47 Go to comments
N
NB 2 hours ago
How law changes are speeding up the game - but the scrum lags behind

Not unreasonable to expect the big b*ggers to let the ball out once it's been won is it?😂

47 Go to comments
N
NB 2 hours ago
How law changes are speeding up the game - but the scrum lags behind

The scrum was a big weapon in the old days, and you didn't see refs awarding a pen evey other one to prove it. An aggressive scrum can produce great ball and wheel to its own desire to open up one side of the field or another.

47 Go to comments
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NB 2 hours ago
How law changes are speeding up the game - but the scrum lags behind

Raise you a Mark Keohane??😁

47 Go to comments
G
GrahamVF 2 hours ago
How law changes are speeding up the game - but the scrum lags behind

If he's Syws I'm Dobbo 🤣

47 Go to comments
N
NB 2 hours ago
How law changes are speeding up the game - but the scrum lags behind

Just take a look at some of the clips and tell me if you really think they are worth penalty.

47 Go to comments
N
NB 2 hours ago
How law changes are speeding up the game - but the scrum lags behind

I’d like more stats around how many scrums are adjudicated incorrectly per game before I’d agree with the term lottery.

You do know WR owns this site?😂


10 bucks says if England, Ireland, France or Wales won a World Cup with a dominant scrum - we wouldn’t be having this discussion.

Barking up the wrong tree there Bull, I didn't like it when Wales did it with Adam Jones in his pomp either!

47 Go to comments
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GrahamVF 2 hours ago
How law changes are speeding up the game - but the scrum lags behind

Chasing the dragon 😉

47 Go to comments
N
NB 2 hours ago
How law changes are speeding up the game - but the scrum lags behind

I love the scrum too [see next article] but I want to see the ball emerge from it more often.

47 Go to comments
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GrahamVF 2 hours ago
How law changes are speeding up the game - but the scrum lags behind

Now we're talking. I wonder if any of these pro fast moving game - no down time, celebrants actually played in a decent pack of forwards. I know that playing fly half the biggest compliment I could get from my pack was when they were running forward after I had hoofed the ball (admittedly in those days you could kick out on the full outside the 25) was a pack grunt of "go ball" and then they would be sucking air all the way to the lineout as slowly as possible. That was real rugby for rugby players - and I realise that with all the competition from non stop games like league and basketball there is a fan craving for non stop adrenaline, but from my perspective that's just chasing the dragon.

47 Go to comments
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