The NSW Waratahs are set to appeal the multi-week suspensions of forwards Tolu Latu and Will Skelton after expressing surprise and disappointment at the outcome of their judicial hearings on Monday.
Hooker Latu and lock Skelton were suspended for four and two weeks respectively after each were found guilty of an illegal lifting tackle on Crusaders and All Blacks lock Sam Whitelock in last Saturday’s Super Rugby game in Sydney.
Latu, who received a yellow card at the time, lifted Whitelock’s legs while Skelton had his upper body and threw him to the ground.
Both men were cited for alleged foul play after the citing Commissioner deemed the incident had met the red card threshold.
South African based judicial hearing chairman Robert Stelzner SC considered video footage, the citing commissioner’s report, medical information for Whitelock and the submissions by the players legal representatives, Anthony Black SC and Bruce Hodgkinson.
The suspensions would rule both Latu and Skelton out of the Australian conference-leading Waratahs matches in South Africa against the Lions and Cheetahs over the next two weekends.
Latu would also miss the final round match against Queensland and the first week of the finals, if NSW play that week.
Waratahs coach Michael Cheika was reportedly emotional about the decisions.
“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 CEO Greg Harris said in a statement.
“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.”
Skelton will travel with the team to South Africa on Tuesday, while if Latu’s suspension stands, Hugh Roach, who has played just five games for the Waratahs will start against the Lions.
His backup would probably be uncapped Dave Porecki, a hooker with Sydney club Manly.
First-choice hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau is currently recovering from his second bout of concussion this season.
Stelzner determined both Skelton and Latu had committed a lifting tackle, which stipulates a four-week suspension.
He said mitigating circumstances including clean disciplinary records, youthfulness and character references resulted in two weeks being taken of both suspensions, but he added two more weeks to Latu’s punishment as a deterrent
“For this type of offending, as it is an action that has sought to be eliminated from the game,” Stelzner said in a SANZAR statement
He said Latu played a more dominant role in the tackle, being more active in the lifting and twisting of Whitelock and contributed more significantly to the end result.
“Skelton nevertheless also lifted and twisted Whitelock in the tackle, which is why he too was found to have breached the applicable law,” Stelzner said.
“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.”
ClarkeG
Guest
Michael you're commenting on a statement you have not even read. You don't know the content of the citing commissioner's report.
AussieKiwi
Guest
Nice to get an unbiased opinion, Carlos, I (and I think many others) really appreciate an Argentinian perspective, but of course this issue has been a hornet's nest!
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
You don't need to, but who is reviewing the actions? Without a complaint the event the police would never know of what has occurred.
Michael Scott
Guest
If “the citing Commissioner deemed the incident had met the red card threshold” it is necessarily implied that he must have communicated that decision in some form of statement. I call that “statement” histrionic because in the circumstances it looks unnuanced (to the point of being knee-jerk), exaggerated, unfair and fails to approach the carefully considered review given as required by the match officials at the time of the incident. It’s also worth noting that only one of Whitelock’s legs went anywhere near vertical and he was mainly horizontal as he went to ground. As he is a tall man, the effect of that one vertical leg made the tackle look more spectacular. However, competent investigation and evaluation should have given that effect no more weight than it deserved. I’d say the gratuitously brutal “ironing-out” of Polota-Nau on the ground at the end of a tackle earlier in the season was more dangerous and could have resulted in a spinal, neck or head injury. I just wish for the sake of his health that he wouldn’t lead with his head so much on his missile-like charges – and look where he is going so he can take avoiding action in good time before hitting a brick wall.
ClarkeG
Guest
Michael you have not read any statement made by the citing commissioner have you, certainly not histrionic ones. The fact that he deemed the incident to meet the red card threshold is a decision not a statement. I will not discuss the rest of your post as I find it absolutely inconceivable that Skelton would not have known Latu was there and taking part. He would have to be without peripheral vision or any sense of awareness.
PeterK
Roar Guru
thats not true under the austrlian law. In the usa you need someone to press charges in australia you do not. I think the reason charges cannot be laid is these trangressions are covered by the rugby law book which everyone has signed up to. They note what things are penalised, what is red carded. When something is red carded you also get suspended. So I do not believe you could get a successful criminal charge for a head high or for striking. An exception would be extreme behaviour like kicking someone in the head multiple times with intent to and causing serious bodily harm.
MARTO
Guest
Well i gues you can stop watching rugby (real mans game) and go back to watching your first love, Boca Juniors ...
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
No they should not be though. Because nobody has pressed charges. If anybody chooses to, that's a different story though. A number of assaults occur in the general population where people don't press charges. Rugby is no different. The only difference is a higher percentage don't press charges. That's mostly because the actions generally are not intentionally illegal and therefore I can only imagine the victim is less inclined. I agree it's an over the top reaction though. Were Skelton and Latu trangressed they were charged. In the instance of the charge on McCaw. Yes McCaw can hold his line, but he cannot block a defender. Does anybody remember Juan Smith physically pushing a referee into a player and I believe he was knocked out of kneed to the head in 2010? Smith was not charge because the referee was actually obstructing him. It was not at all illegal the referees actions, but it prevent Smith performing his role so it was just ignored essentially. Considering Skelton didn't clothesline McCaw or anything other than essentially run through him, I can see this similarly being disregarded.
PeterK
Roar Guru
I agree. So every single person ever seen on video footage doing a head high or shoulder charge (including clearing out rucks) and every other illegal physical contact should right now be charged with assault. Makes zero difference how innocuous nor that the ref dealt with it. Since the justice system seem to ignore that so should we. This is a typical sensationalist OTT reaction. When have players been charged for assault for actions in a game? There have been some civil suits in league. If there have been cases of charges I am sure they are for far far more serious things that occurred in this match.
PeterK
Roar Guru
lol what sanctimonious rot. The bigger picture, potential impact, blight on the game. A lot worse has happened before and will again and has had virtually no impact on the game , what sensationalist stirring.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Peter, anything outside the laws of the game could legally be considered assault. By playing you consent to all play within the laws of the game.
PeterK
Roar Guru
lol Because I believe the whole car and suspension even for innocuous lifting is a joke? Look at the video of ioane's one up above. Because I believe 1 player is not at fault in the lift (skelton) but ignore how I think Latu is to blame and deserves suspension. Because I compare this lift to a significantly worse one by steyn + another and note the player not at fault did not get suspended and ask why there is not consistency. As to the other actions , they were not red card level and they were handled on the field. As to bordering criminal assault, most contact situations in rugby are criminal assault. Cannot tackle someone on the street.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Yeah Peter I agree with Jerry. There is no lift at all in that tackle so it's perfectly legal. The motion of the tackled player is lateral and downward. At no point does Lawes get under the tackled player and drive upward, hence not a lift.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
You could. But you would be wrong.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Ask Jameswm.
Carlos the Argie in the USA
Guest
Well, it seems my comment got edited out. We are not amused. Shame on all of you Aussies trying to defend Skelton. He is a thug. Not only the tackle on Whitelock but also the hit from behind on McCaw was clearly shameful. Last year, he had lots of high tackles and many of you stated that it was because he was tall. He is and will be a liability to Australia if he plays for the Wallabies. And if Cheika attempts to defend him, he will be a thug in my book too. As I sated in the censored posting, I am an Argie, nothing to stand for in this fight except what is good for rugby. This is pathetic.
Jerry
Guest
Yeah, I agree. That first one isn't particularly dangerous. Yes, the tackled player goes beyond horizontaly, but he doesn't really get driven down hard. That said, the reality is that it's not very sensible to be picking players up below the waist these days. Savea got away with it, but it's not really worth it anymore. If I were a pro coach, I'd be drilling it into my players that you simply don't lift the legs.
Taylorman
Guest
Most sensible couple of comments I've seen on the matter. It's possible the penalties could be increased here because it shows the lessons from clear and obvious assaults on the field have not been learnt. The players and coach by appealing, crying injustice, and clearly it's hard core fans are not seeing the wider picture, the potential impact of allowing this to be just washed away is huge and a blight on the game. The same core Tahs fans all scrambling to justify their sides actions is disappointing. Just imagine the same folk had McCaw gone on Skeltons rampage? Not that he would ever lower himself to those levels. Skelton needs to decide what kind of player he wants to be, and some supporters need to decide if this is the type of game they want their kids to play.
Ridzenieks
Guest
Mr.B.Bob. I hesitate to put the following point against such tolerant and broad minded chaps as yourself and Mr.Peter K. Could it be that some of the actions by NSW players were bordering on criminal assault? And, that insofar as they involved more than one player and seemed pre-meditated that the coach would be equally liable. Or, would you argue that there are other Super XV teams which operate in the same zone of dubious physicality, so the rest of us are just picking on you.
Billy Bob
Guest
Just had another look at the tackle. Skelton picked him up and held him before slowly lowering him. I agree that Skelton needs to temper his aggression in general but this 'tackle' is arguably not worthy of 2 weeks. In unrelated news, not connected with this matter - Why did Whitelock suddenly fall asleep during a rugby match after making contact with the ground with his elbow?