Super Rugby News
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An update from the Crusaders' medical team was encouraging. Read "has been cleared of any significant injury", the Crusaders said in a statement: "He will be monitored early in the week as he reintegrates to training." Crotty was removed from the field as a precaution, and a medical check-up on Sunday morning revealed the injury wasn't serious. The Crusaders are also expected to soup-up their tight five by bringing back All Blacks Codie Taylor, Owen Franks and Scott Barrett. Joe Moody is still recovering from a knee injury suffered in the previous round, and could be, at best, a 50-50 chance. David Havili is expected to return to fullback in place of Israel Dagg, who has confirmed he will follow Matt Todd to play in Japan after Super Rugby and will return for the following season. -
Johnny Faauli receives six-week suspension
Chiefs centre Johnny Faauli has been banned for six weeks for his dangerous tackle on Wes Goosen during their 28-24 victory over the Hurricanes. The back was red carded and deemed to contravene Law 9.13 having connected with Goosen’s head after failing to wrap his arms around the Canes man. Faauli will therefore miss the game against the Hurricanes in the quarter-finals, as well as the rest of the Super Rugby season, should they emerge triumphant in Wellington. In his finding, Nigel Hampton QC ruled the following: “Having conducted a detailed review of all the available evidence, including all camera angles, additional evidence, a statement from the player and submissions from his legal representative, Aaron Lloyd, the Foul Play Review Committee upheld the Red Card under Law 9.13. “With respect to sanction the Foul Play Review Committee deemed the act of foul play merited a mid range entry point of 6 weeks. “The Foul Play Review Committee added 2 weeks to the entry point as aggravation for the fact the Player has two previous offences of a similar nature on his Judicial record and as a personal deterrent to combat a pattern of such offending by the Player. “However, taking into account mitigating factors including the Player’s expressed remorse and his plea of guilty at the earliest possible opportunity, the Foul Play Review Committee reduced the suspension to 6 weeks.” -
@stargazer I think that's a bit high, from my recollection it was his head that did the damage, not his shoulder, I think 2-4 weeks would have been sufficient, especially when you weight the potential games he is to miss out on as well, although once again the judiciary show they are muppets by reducing a supposed repeat offenders sentence due to remorse...didn't look remorseful on the night after it happened.
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Ardie Savea and Jordie Barrett have re-signed with NZR and the Hurricanes, both through to the end of the 2019 season.
But why one year only? Especially Jordie?
http://www.allblacks.com/News/32696/ardie-savea-and-jordie-barrett-recommit-to-new-zealand-rugby
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@taniwharugby No, it's really not high at all; it's spot on. I think you're confusing Fa'auli's hit with the Caleb Timu yellow in the Reds v Sunwolves game? That was a head clash, although he was leading with the shoulder and the intent seemed to be the same as Fa'auli's; that will be a 6-week entry point as well, I think, because he just dived towards the "victim" who was already on the ground.
Fa'auli definitely hit Goosen in the head with his shoulder and didn't even try to wrap his arms. That's a mid-range entry point of 6 weeks and as a repeat offender, he was always going to get one or two weeks extra. The two weeks deduction seems a bit much, but he didn't get the full 50% deduction, for obvious reasons. Correct and consistent decision.
See in this video from 1 min 33 sec (62nd minute of the game):
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@stargazer I'd suggest the 1 year deal for Jordie is because he probably figures he can negotiate for much more $ in a year's time when Ben Smith is on the way out.
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@kiwimurph Yeah, but why dit NZR agree? Jordie really isn't going overseas if they refuse a one-year deal.
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@stargazer No one thought Piutau was going overseas until he did.
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@kiwimurph Yeah, but a Barrett isn't a Piutau.
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@stargazer do you read what people post, I'm not confusing it with anything, given I didnt watch that other game.
Watch that clip you posted, his head makes contact first, and IMO its his head that does the damage, I wasnt arguing it wasnt a shoulder charge, I was arguing his head made contact with Goosens
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@taniwharugby I don't see the head making contact first, I see clearly a shoulder making contact with the head. But for the sake of the argument, for the offending it doesn't make much of a difference. It was a dangerous tackle, without arms, and he made contact with the head. Law 9.13 (A player must not tackle an opponent early, late or dangerously. Dangerous tackling includes, but is not limited to, tackling or attempting to tackle an opponent above the line of the shoulders even if the tackle starts below the line of the shoulders) has a mid-range entry point of 6 weeks. It doesn't distinguish between a player being hit in the head with a shoulder or a head clash, considering it was always dangerous. His intent was clear, too. There was nothing accidental about it.
And if you didn't watch that Reds v Sunwolves game, you may want to have a look at this clip. That was a clear head clash, but whether it will make a difference for the outcome of the citing?
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@stargazer head contact was accidental, the shoulder charge not.
I think with some of the other punishment inconsistenacies, 6 weeks is harsh, given it includes a '2 week discount''
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@taniwharugby I have read all decisions this year and they haven't been inconsistent at all. Referees have been, but not the Foul Play Review Committee.
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@taniwharugby he also got 2 weeks because he is a repeat offender. So it's almost 4 weeks + 2 weeks.
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6 weeks? For that? 6 weeks is an enormous ban, especially when compared with other sports.
Add that to the softest red card in history on the weekend, and it's clear that World Rugby wants us playing touch.
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