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Wiese citing dismissed: 'Situation wasn't a highly dangerous one'
The Springboks will likely be annoyed that cited back-rower Jasper Wiese has been cleared and is now available to face the All Blacks less than five hours after Jacques Nienaber named a Wiese-less matchday 23 for next Saturday’s Rugby Championship match in Townsville. Nienaber has questioned why there had been the delay of a day in the staging of the disciplinary hearing, which denied his player the opportunity to compete for selection.
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Uncertain about the availability of Wiese, Nienaber decided to change the configuration of the Springboks bench for the upcoming round five Championship match, excluding the back-rower and including an extra sub back.
It means the South Africans will go into their 100th meeting with the All Blacks with a bomb squad of just five forwards and three backs rather than the six/two split that was pivotal in their run to World Cup glory and Lions series success.
During his Springboks team announcement media briefing, Nienaber has questioned why there was a delay in the staging of the Wiese hearing unlike what happened two weeks previously when All Blacks full-back Jordie Barrett was before the judiciary following his red card versus Australia.
That hearing was held on a Monday, freeing Barrett to contest selection for the following weekend’s game versus Argentina. However, the delay of Wiese’s hearing until Tuesday meant Nienaber had to press ahead with team selection plans minus his sub back-rower.
"It just made it impossible for us to select Jasper"
– The hearing for red-carded All Black Jordie Barrett went ahead on schedule on a Monday two weeks ago, unlike this week's delay for the Springboks' Wiese
#Springboks #NZRvRSA #RugbyChampionshiphttps://t.co/HJGu1OMNON— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 21, 2021
“I’m not 100 per cent sure why the timelines weren’t met (for the Springboks) and it was met when they had the same incident two weeks ago when Australia played against New Zealand. I’m sure Sanzaar will come back to us on that,” shrugged an aggrieved Nienaber who learned later on Tuesday night Australian time that Wiese’s citing was dismissed.
A post-hearing statement from Sanzaar read: “A judicial committee hearing has found Jasper Wiese of South Africa not guilty of contravening law 9.12 after he was cited after a Rugby Championship match at the weekend. No further sanction has been imposed on Wiese and he is free to play.
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“In his finding, judicial committee chair Michael Heron ruled: Having conducted a detailed review of all the available evidence, including all camera angles and additional evidence, including from the player, a medical report on the opposition player involved, and having considered the submissions from his legal representative, Attie Heyns, the judicial committee found that the player had not committed an act of foul play worthy of the red card threshold.
“The judicial committee reviewed the case in accordance with regulation 17.16.1 of World Rugby’s regulations and the World Rugby head contact process. The evidence and submissions on behalf of the player, together with surrounding circumstances, satisfied the committee that the citing commissioner was not correct to find there was a high degree of danger involved.
“Whilst the Australian player was vulnerable, the contact with the head was not intentional or highly reckless. Wiese was shown to be grabbing for the ball rather than targeting the head of the Australian player. The low force, modest speed, indirect contact and the turning motion used by Wiese, meant that the situation was not a highly dangerous one (when compared to the World Rugby examples).
“The Australian player was completely uninjured and his statement suggested the contact looked more serious than it was. There was no adverse reaction by any of the players to the conduct. The referee was in a very good position to see the actions of Wiese.
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“For those reasons, the committee was satisfied that the referee (with the assistance of the TMO) was correct to award a yellow card in the circumstances. The committee reinforced that the citing commissioner was otherwise correct to find that this was foul play, and at least warranted a yellow card in the circumstances. Wiese is therefore free to play in the upcoming matches.”
TEAM NEWS:
The Springboks have made 2?? changes to their starting pack while also reconfiguring their bomb squad with a 5/3 forwards/backs split#Springboks #NZRvRSA #RugbyChampionship #TRC2021https://t.co/14FBILZ5q8
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 21, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
Pretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
3 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to commentsJacobsen will definitely be in the 23
3 Go to commentsLots of discussion points, Ben, but two glaring follies IMO: 1. Blackadder at 6. Has done nothing so far this season to justify his selection. Did you see him going backwards in contact at the weekend? Simply has not got the physical presence at 6: we need a Scott Barrett or a Finau (or wildcard Ah Kuoi), beasts who are big enough to play lock, like Frizzell. If Barret played at 6, Paddy could be joined at lock by Vai’i or one of the young giants we need to promote, like Darry or Lord (if he ever gets on the field). Blackadder best left to join the queue for 7. 2. Not even a mention for Christie? Ratima gets caught at crucial times at the back of the ruck when he hesitates on the pass. The only way he starts would be if Christie and TJ are injured.
3 Go to commentsWhat a dagg in more ways than one
6 Go to commentsRegroup come back next year but sack some of the coaching team and don't be like the ABs last minute sacking. If Crusaders don't do well ABs don't do well.
5 Go to commentsProctor Definitely inform again this year had a hell of a season last year and this year is looking even better. Still mixed feelings about Ioane tho.
4 Go to commentsDagg is still trying to get enough headlines to make himself relevant enough to get a job. The Crusaders went back to square one at all levels. Shelve this season and nail the next one.
6 Go to commentsHe was in such great form. Sad for him but only a short term injury and it will be great to see him back for the finals.
1 Go to commentsAfter their 5/0 start, I had the Crusaders to finish Top 4 only…they lost the plot in Perth but will reload and back themselves vs 4th placed Rebels…
5 Go to commentsBoth nations missed a great opportunity to book a game that would have had a lot of interest from around the world. I understand these games can’t be organised in 5 minutes but they should have found a way to make it happen. I don’t think Wales are ducking anyone but it’s a bad look haha.
3 Go to commentsIt will be fascinating to see the effect that Jo Yapp has. If they can compete with Canada and give BFs a run for their money that will be progress
1 Go to commentsFollowing his dream and putting in the work. Go well young fella!
3 Go to commentsPerhaps filling Twickenham is one of Mitchell’s KPIs. I doubt whether both September matches will be at Twickenham on consecutive weekends. I would take the BF one to a large provincial stadium so as not to give them the advantage and experience of playing at Twickenham before a large crowd prior to the RWC.
3 Go to commentsvery unfortunate for Kitshoff, but big opportunity potentially for Nché to prove he is genuinely the best loosehead in the world, rather than just a specialist finisher. Presuming that if Kitshoff is out, it will also give Steenekamp a chance to come into the 23? Or are others likely to be ahead of him?
1 Go to commentsA long held question in popular culture asks if art imitates life or does the latter influence the former? Over this 6 nations I can ask the same question of the media influencing the thoughts of its audience or vice versa. Nobody wants to see cricket scores in rugby, as a spectacle it is not sustainable. With so many articles about England’s procession and lack of competition it feeds the epicaricacy of many looking for an opportunity to pounce. England are not the first team to dominate nor does it happen only in rugby, think Federer, Nadal, Red Bull or Mercedes, Manchester Utd, Australia in tests and World Cups. Instead of celebrating the achievements why find reasons to falsify it pointing towards larger playing pool, professional for a longer period or mitigate with the lack of growth in other nations. Can we not enjoy it while it is here and know that it won’t last for ever, others coveting what England have will soon take the crown, ask the aforementioned?
6 Go to commentsShame he won’t turn out for the Netherlands now they’re improving. U20s are Euro champs and in the U20 Trophy this year. The senior sides gets better every year too.
3 Go to commentsWill rugbypass tv be showing these games?
1 Go to commentsWell where do you start, the fact that England have a professional domestic league and Ireland’s is fully amatuer, that they have fully seperated professional squads at Fifteens and Sevens (7’s thinly disguised as GB), and Ireland have fully pro Sevens squad who loan some players back to the Semi-Professional Fifteens squad (moved from amateur for only a year or so) for a few games at 6N & RWC’s. The Women’s games is a shambles, and is at risk of killing itself by pushing for professionalism when the market isn’t really there to support it outside one or two countnries..
6 Go to commentsWayne Smith's input didn't have as much impact on the last final as Davison's red card for Thompson. England were 14 points up and flying when that happened.
6 Go to comments