Highlanders midfield back Jason Emery has been suspended for four weeks for his collision with airborne Sharks fullback Willie le Roux.
Emery was red-carded for the incident in the 12th minute of the Highlanders’ 15-14 Super Rugby defeat in Dunedin on Friday night.
He will miss three matches, as his ban ends on a weekend in which the Highlanders have a bye.
However, the defending champions, who are fifth in the Australasian group, will be without him for a difficult stretch in which they meet the Brumbies, Chiefs and Crusaders.
At a Sanzaar judicial hearing, Emery pleaded guilty to a charge of tackling an opponent jumping for the ball.
In its decision, the judicial committee said the offence was mid-range, with a starting point of a six-week suspension.
It took into account Emery’s clean record after 70 first-class matches, his apology to le Roux immediately after the match and on social media.
It also noted his guilty plea and the fact the tackle was reckless rather than deliberate.
The incident happened as le Roux was contesting a bomb and was hit by Emery, got flipped over and landed upside down on the back of his neck.
Despite the nasty fall, the Springboks fullback got back up, went for a concussion test and returned to the field midway through the opening spell.
atlas
Guest
Suggest you research his history of yellow and red cards. Try Google. He also gets a mention in Wales' Adam Jones book, DWB's fondness for kneeing opponents' groins. Few think of those 'hard hits' as being in the sporting spirit.
ClarkeG
Guest
I assume you mean Mr Perfect? - Blooming keyboard letting you down or maybe it’s a deliberate typo in which case that would be quite clever on your part. I'm not perfect, nor was I trying to be clever. I was not being facetious. I was serious. If you are going to have a crack at a guy - seriously or lightheartedly - at least spell his name coorectley. ;-)
Dave_S
Guest
yeah I was just being pedantic tm :) I can understand why the panel doesn't quibble with it.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Guest
It strikes me that there are two lucky boys here. Most lucky is Willie Le Roux. The extremity of the risk that Le Roux was placed under says to me that this was a lenient sentence, (compared to Nadolo at least). But I'm not out to increase Emery's pain. It's just that the extreme athleticism of the modern game means that collisions need to include strict disciplines. I once saw a young boy get lifted in a tackle without a sanction on the tackler. The tackled boy was my son. Obviously the great game of rugby needs a slight cultural adjustment in this area. This cultural adjustment needs more than 'punishments', - education, kick tackle training etc. Because we should never forget how many young men don't play anymore simply because they don't walk anymore.
Shop
Guest
I was appalled that the SWolf player wasn't at least given a yellow, especially since he was also involved in an incident 10 minutes earlier which resulted in the Jag 15 to be stretchered off. He should have also been suspended a few weeks.
RedsKing
Guest
De Wet Barry was a hard hitter, but tackled legally. Not a dirty player.
taylorman
Roar Guru
How would you know that then? ?
Cynical Play
Guest
Never did a typo mrperpect? Facetious comebacks go down much better if you are actually clever.
CUW
Guest
@ atlas : it is a common trait . the bad boy of english cricket Chris Broad ( father of Stuart ) who famosly knocked out the stumps in a test match in auzzy , and also refused to walk after being given out in a test in pakistan, is now one of the senior Match referees !!
ClarkeG
Guest
Oh I missed the bit where they found aggravating factors. No - hang on. They didn't. Unless you want the judiciary to just make it up. Yeah that will stand up under appeal.
Dave
Guest
It can be 8 - 6 weeks start point for mid range and add something aggravating
ClarkeG
Guest
not Pocock.
ClarkeG
Guest
I'm assuming you mean Loe. A joke goes down much better if you get the facts straight :-)
ClarkeG
Guest
Yes so what I said in para 3 above but never mind I get what you mean. Maybe each offence should have 4 entry points rather than the existing 3.
Cynical Play
Guest
De Wet Barry was seen to "phone-a-friend" during proceedings. It was thought to be Richard Lowe.
atlas
Guest
No complaint re the penalty, but some irony here: The hearing was heard by a judicial committee of Jannie Lubbe SC (chairman), De Wet Barry and John Langford. De Wet Barry, whose rugby career was a collection of foul play, yellow and red cards at every level he played. Now on the judiciary.
taylorman
Roar Guru
Quite easy to provide that proof really, as every single SXV player will have a club booking during their byes. Either that, or the side has a second rate Team manager.
Dave_S
Guest
"very very similar tackle in Japan the same weekend in the 15th minute only recieved a penalty,hard to fathom the justice" Stu, assuming we have the same one in mind, I did see it and agree they were very similar and that a mere penalty was too little.
Dave_S
Guest
soapit yeah I accept there is a fair bit of room for subjective assessment in these things and of course it's easy for me to sit here and speculate what was going thru his head. It's quite possible he was unsighted on the receiver until the last second and didn't anticipate what effect he would have. Hence I said he was lucky but didn't want to bang on about "travesty of justice" but I think it's one of those areas that where the consequences are potentially so dire - this one was pretty close to tragedy - that the deterrence needs to be so strong that when you're chasing thru on the kick you're thinking "better make sure I let him land safely before I barrel him" rather than just "I'm going to barrel him". It's common knowledge that one of the aims of the high kick is to give your chasers time to get thru and barrel the catcher, so coupled with that intent is a responsibility to do it safely (within the context of contact sport of course)
Stu. B.
Guest
Emery's tackle deserved every bit of 3 weeks,bet he won't do that again! Also the very very similar tackle in Japan the same weekend in the 15th minute only recieved a penalty,hard to fathom the justice involved in these two tackles,please don't comment unless you have viewed both incidents,then comment is welcome.