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.
44bottles
Roar Guru
George North got knocked out twice and wasn't taken for concussion. It seems to be a wide problem that really needs to be fixed.
44bottles
Roar Guru
I swear everytime someone brings this game up, the number of men decreases. Soon it'll be about how Francois Steyn single handedly beat the Crusaders, after all his team mates got sent off.
What a tool
Guest
How from wii post did you get to have another dig at kiwis? Did a New Zealander steal your bloke mate? Your hatred everything NZ is sad. Show me a post of a New Zealander having a go at an Australian as obvious and biased as you. You have obviously never played sport before because the way you play the man and not the ball is a sad reflection on a sad little man. The fact the roar keeps posting your crap is also a bad reflection on them and usually, as this another post of yours shows, has nothing to do with Rugby but a personal dig at a nation.................again.
seal the singer
Guest
Dumping people on there heads doesn't have to be an accident if it's policed correctly. I bet both Latu and Skelton will think twice next time as will other players playing the game. I also think those that have either played the game or have others playing the game would know how scary it is to have it happen to you or watch a family member happen to them. Or maybe these wimpy rugby players need to harden up as other comments on this website would make you believe and get over a broken neck for our entertainment.
Ace freely
Guest
But that's not what happened. If my Aunty had wheels she would be a bicycle.
Ace freely
Guest
I know. Let's go back for the last 10 years between Australia and NZ and see if it evens itself out. We can then all holds hands and sing kumbaya my lord. Both "sides" need to understand it goes with you at times and against you at others and it has nothing to do with "politics". That's just pathetic!
RobC
Roar Guru
Im looking forward to the Lions game. Hoops running vs Whiteley's tackling. Jaco Kriel vs JackPot. Faf sniping runs vs Phipps sniping in general Jantjies radar kick vs Foley's kick I wonder if Tala Gray can finally get a chance.
Bunratty c
Roar Rookie
Yes, but more typically, they are placed on report. Thereby maintaining a contest, retaining crowd interest, etc. It is silly to say that team X's chances of making the finals were stopped by the failure of two red cards being issued. Once a player is removed from the field, the game tends to change in favor of the team with 15 players. Although, in this game, NSW proved the exception by outscoring the other team with only 14 players.
Hume
Guest
Agree 100%
Hume
Guest
Why are you guys all been so ferocious in your posts towards Wii, it's like some pack mentality here and its high time the moderators grow some furry and sort this behaviour out. Your same argument can be used against you superb, what says that the Tahs would have won with thirteen men? Absolutely nothing that's what? Good grief people really need to pull their heads out of their own rectums and actually play the ball not the man. This site is fast going down the track of Keo and Rugby Heaven in its day.
Rebel
Guest
Calm down and watch the Hangover. Its a pop culture quote about people asking others to do their work for them. I'll put it nicely for you. Please do your own research.
Rebel
Guest
Repost
Kuruki
Roar Guru
What i want to know is what is going to be done about the two referees who failed miserably in dealing with the situation when it happened? there blunder effectively ended the Crusaders competition. Had the Crusaders played against 14 men for the rest of that game like they should have they could well still be alive. One blunder like this can have a huge effect on a teams entire season so i want to know why there is not huge repercussions for those officials who were well short of the mark. It seems to be happening weekly and it is always blunders in favor of the home teams by their fellow countrymen. It brings into question the integrity of the entire competition and someone needs to find out what the factors are that have put so much pressure on the reffs to adjudicate heavily in favor of the home side week in week out.
superba
Guest
@Wii - Well the Crusaders were once unable to beat a 13 man Sharks team in NZ with the two man advantage over +60mins so you can not be so sure they would have beaten a 13man Waratahs team .
die hard
Guest
There was that at least. Wicked sense of humor that you have!
Clark
Guest
So getting dropped on your head, risking concussion and even worse spinal injuries is soft? And if we want to talk about serial offenders, we should also mention the no arms shot off the ball on McCaw as well as the 2nd attempt at shoulder a prone player on the ground, both performed by Skelton
kesmcc
Roar Pro
You can come up with all the ifs and buts you like but at the end of the day Latu was involved and the tackle was dangerous. Deal with it
me
Guest
Your kidding if you think TPN was knocked out illegally. The goose tackles on his hands and knees head first choppung at the oppositions knees. He knocks himself out.
me
Guest
Your kidding if you think TPN was knocked out illegally. The goose tackles on his hands and knees head first choppung at the oppositions knees. He knocks himself out.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
You are saying that everybody is wrong when their view is the same as that of an independent judicial officer.