The Waratahs have had a serious spanner thrown in the works after first-choice hooker Tolu Latu was handed a hefty six-week suspension for an incident in last week’s one-point win over the Sunwolves.
According to AAP, Latu pled guilty to SANZAAR’s foul play review committee and was handed the ban for his conduct.
While Latu was not cited by the referee during the match, the citing commissioner decided to charge Latu for dangerous play after reviewing the match and deeming his conduct had “met the red card threshold”.
The 25-year-old was cited for charging into a maul. Although the broadcast angle makes it hard to see, his conduct appeared to injure the knee of Ed Quirk, who subsequently required carting off the field.
His lengthy absence will be a cruel blow to the side, who are already battling personnel issues on the front row.
AAP reported that the committee judged the incident to be a top-end offence, meaning Latu could have been suspended for ten weeks. The suspension was reduced to six weeks due to the time since Latu’s last offence, genuine remorse and his early guilty plea.
The statement from committee chairman Adam Casselden reads as follows.
“With respect to sanction, the Foul Play Review Committee deemed the act of foul play merited a top-end entry point of 10 weeks due to the vulnerability of the victim, the gravity of the offence and the extent of the injury caused to the victim.
“However, taking into account mitigating factors including Player’s expressed remorse, the fact his most recent Judicial offence was three years ago and the player’s guilty plea at the first available opportunity, the Foul Play Review Committee reduced the suspension to six weeks.”
Double Agent
Guest
If you need a break after two games then maybe it's time for retirement?
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
Fionn, How many times has it been said of numerous players - “Hopefully even Cheika can’t pick him for the Wallabies now”?
Olly
Roar Rookie
He has put his head behind the knee and then pulled the foot in a motion that is wrapping his leg around his head hinging at the knee joint. In MMA world it is called a compression lock. Very painful as it forces the knee joint to separate causing structural damage and is band in some martial art competitions because of the risk of serious injury is too high. It is not Rugby and very dangerous in an uncontrolled situation such as a ruck or maul. I would have given him 12 months as it could have ended Quirks career.
Ryan
Roar Rookie
First the push on the great Codie Taylor, now this tsk tsk.
Ryan
Roar Rookie
First the push on the great Codie Taylor, now this.
Cassandra
Roar Rookie
I don't think the chip kick in their own 22 into Beale's hands helped either.
Paul D
Roar Rookie
Yep, he shouldn't have dove at the legs the way he did, but it wasn't an "I want to break his leg" action. He has a habit of chopping too low in tackles. Must be a TPN fan. Doesn't change the fact that I want him to have a good hard look at himself and work out whether he has the mentality for professional sport. You just have to be smarter than that.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
2017 at least, maybe 2016 also?
LifestyleSpecialist
Roar Rookie
If that's a dangerous ruck/maul we should have a really careful look at say Poey getting double teamed at a ruck and I guarantee you those players aren't bound. They come flying in an try to blast the player off their feet.
jeznez
Roar Guru
I actually feel better about Latu having seen that angle Brett. Fully support the suspension, he's gone recklessly off his feet into the contact zone and caused a bad injury. Why I say I feel better about Latu, is that on the angle where I could only see his hand and not his head I was concerned that he may have intentionally gone out of his way to injure Quirk. Seeing now that his head is under Quirk's leg, I'm much more comfortable that this was a reckless accident, rather than something more sinister. I sincerely doubt that he made a conscious choice to put his head under Quirk's knee and then twist is back around his own head. It's possible it was some weird MMA move but I'd like to think this was something accidental and his own head being in that awkward position is what meant he hung on to Quirk's ankle the way he did. Anyway he'll have plenty of time to have a think about what he did and we'll be having a proper look at Sauni or Tuala. He's always had a bad habit of going off his feet when contesting the ball, this will hopefully prompt him to make some adjustments to stay on his feet in the ruck.
Olly
Roar Rookie
He has a bad reputation that is matched by his bad track record. The guy is a dirty footballer and has to accept the punishment that comes with it. This is why he pleaded guilty.
Olly
Roar Rookie
I don't know how this guy is still playing professional rugby in Australia. He is sent off all the time, terrible example for younger players and in the professional game, you can't have a player who gets sent off as much as him. I would have burnt his contract ages ago and never thought of him again.
Jacko
Guest
It comes down to what are they willing to sacrifice to give him the best chance to be at his best at the WC....
Big Dave
Guest
The article refers to him as the tahs first choice hooker, which he clearly isn't. Has he ever been?
allblackfan
Guest
That incident started with Latu having a go at Taylor while the All Black was still bound to his front row as the scrum broke up and unable to defend himself. Taylor disengaged and shoved Latu at which point Latu punched back and was yellow-carded. Worth noting that when Latu came back onto the field, he straight away, before anything else, tried to have another go at Taylor and had to be pulled back into line by Kepu!!
jameswm
Roar Guru
He did plead guilty jez knowing what the entry point was (10 weeks).
Brett McKay
Expert
Have now seen the alternate angle. It's as damning as I'd been led to believe.. https://twitter.com/BMcSport/status/1100265142128988160
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
He was second choice, arguably first choice, in Cheika’s eyes by the end of the spring tour.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
Indeed, mistakes can be made. But bans are meant to dissuade future instances of such behaviour.
CUW
Roar Rookie
nowadays its not good for the team to have such bombs in their midst Sinckler and Marler before him are prime examples. Gatland pulled his strings and Sinckler did not disappoint. when ur notorious ( not Conner McGregor ) even refs tend to be a little biased.