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NSW Waratahs forwards Tolu Latu and Will Skelton have been suspended for four and two weeks respectively after each were found guilty of an illegal lifting tackle.
Hooker Latu and lock Skelton were both cited for their involvement in a lifting tackle on Crusaders and All Blacks lock Sam Whitelock in the 17th minute of last Saturday’s Super Rugby game at Sydney’s ANZ Stadium.
Latu lifted Whitelock’s legs while Skelton had his upper body and threw him to the ground.
Both men will miss the Australian conference leading Waratahs matches in South Africa against the Lions in Johannesburg this weekend and the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein the following weekend.
Latu will also miss the final round home match against the Reds and the first week of the finals, if the Waratahs play that week.
SANZAR released a statement, which included and explanation of the sanction from Robert Stelzner SC.
“As the Judicial Officer, I considered all evidence before me including the video footage, additional video provided by the Waratahs, Citing Commissioner’s report, medical information for the Crusaders’ player, Sam Whitelock, who was involved in the incident and the submissions made for the player by his legal representatives, Anthony Black SC and Bruce Hodgkinson.
“After taking all relevant facts into consideration, I found the incident to have a lower end entry point for breaching of 10.4 (j) Lifting Tackle which stipulates a four-week suspension.
“Mitigating factors which were taken into account included the player’s clean record, his relative youthfulness and the good character references supplied on his behalf. This resulted in the sanction being reduced by two weeks.
“Two offending players, Skelton and Silatolu Latu, were involved in the incident. Latu played a more active role in the lifting and twisting of their opponent, Sam Whitelock, contributing more significantly to the end result than Skelton. Skelton nevertheless also lifted and twisted Whitelock in the tackle, which is why he too was found to have breached the applicable Law.
“Given the lesser extent of his involvement however, the sanction in the case of Skelton did not in my view warrant an increase from the entry level sanction to serve as a deterrent. He was unaware of the actions of his fellow player, Silatolu Latu, and although he dropped his opponent after he had lifted and turned him, it appeared that Latu was the player who had continued with the tip tackle causing their opponent to land in the manner in which he ultimately did.
“The player was found to have contravened Law 10.4 (j) and is suspended up to and including Saturday 6 June 2015.”
The NSW Waratahs made the following statement:
Following the citing of NSW Waratahs players Silatolu (Tolu) Latu and Will Skelton for foul play during the Round 15 match against the Crusaders, the matter has been heard at the SANZAR Judicial Hearing and the two players were sanctioned.
Latu and Skelton were deemed to have contravened Law 10.4 (j) Lifting Tackle, in an incident that occurred in the 17th minute of the match between the Waratahs and Crusaders at ANZ Stadium in Sydney on 23 May 2015, and given four and two week suspensions respectively.
The Waratahs officials and legal representatives who were in attendance and representing Waratahs players, Tolu Latu and Will Skelton, said they were surprised and disappointed with the outcome of the hearing.
“Without going into lengthy detail on the hearing the fact that our legal representatives have recommended that we appeal these decisions speaks for itself,” Waratahs Rugby CEO Greg Harris said.
“We would not be intending to pursue this course of action unless we were of the opinion that both players were entitled to have their situations reconsidered by the Appeal Committee.
“Our intentions are to appeal the decision however we will wait until we receive the written report from SANZAR before doing so.”
The Waratahs CEO also confirmed that Will Skelton would be travelling with the team to South Africa tomorrow and was optimistic that following the appeal he will be cleared to play.
“It is critical to the team, the club and our supporters that we leave no stone unturned in our campaign to make the finals,” Harris said.
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