Super Rugby News
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that is an astounding ruling.
Could you imagine the laughs when he gets back to training? Great story for the boys
"... and they fucking believed me!"
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In a major coup for New Zealand Rugby (NZR), the All Blacks most capped number nine and second most capped Highlanders player, halfback Aaron Smith, has put pen to paper – and signed a new two-year deal with NZR and his Super Rugby side. 30-year-old Smith made his All Blacks debut in 2012 and has been a mainstay in the national side ever since, playing 82 Tests to date. He made his Highlanders debut in 2011 and has pulled on the southern team’s Super jersey 129 times. Smith said he was excited to confirm that his future would be in New Zealand. "From my earliest playing days, my focus has always been about being passionate about the teams I play for and I’ve always enjoyed giving 100 percent to the teams I represent,” Smith said. "I love representing the Highlanders and the All Blacks and playing my rugby in New Zealand gives me the chance to continue to do that.Smith joins a number of established All Blacks who have signed with New Zealand Rugby post 2019, including Dane Coles, Codie Taylor, Joe Moody, Ofa Tuungafasi, Scott Barrett, Sam Cane, Ardie Savea, TJ Perenara, Anton Lienert-Brown, Damian McKenzie and Rieko Ioane, with negotiations progressing with a number of other key players.
News | Highlanders Rugby Club Limited Partnership
Keep up to date and get breaking Highlanders news first! See the latest scores, team standings and player news.
http://www.allblacks.com/News/33914/aaron-smith-signs-new-two-year-deal-with-new-zealand-rugby
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Sharks hooker Akker van der Merwe suspended for 3 weeks
The Sanzaar Foul Play Review Committee has accepted a guilty plea from Sharks hooker Armand 'Akker' van der Merwe of the Sharks who was red-carded during a Super Rugby Match at the Weekend. Van der Merwe has been suspended from all forms of the game for 3 weeks, up to and including 19 April 2019. The incident occurred in the 58th minute of the match between the Sharks and Bulls played at Johnson Kings Park in Durban on Saturday. The Sanzaar Foul Play Review Committee of Adam Casselden SC (Chairman), Stefan Terblanche and Eroni Clarke assessed the case. In his finding, Foul Play Review Committee Chairman Adam Casselden SC ruled the following: "Having conducted a detailed review of all the available evidence, including all camera angles and additional evidence, including from the player and submissions from his legal representative, Attie Heyns, the Foul Play Review Committee upheld the Red Card under Law 9.12." "With respect to sanction the Foul Play Review Committee deemed the act of foul play merited a mid-range entry point of 6 weeks due to the World Rugby instructions that dictate any incident of foul play involving contact with the head must start at a mid-range level. "The evidence demonstrated the Player contacted the opposing Player's head with multiple punches. However, taking into account mitigating factors including the Player's good judicial record and the fact the Player has pleaded guilty at the first available opportunity, the Foul Play Review Committee reduced the suspension to 3 weeks." "The player is therefore suspended for 3 weeks, up to and including 19 April 2019.”Brits has also been charge by the Foul Play Review Committee, but no verdict has yet been reached in his case.
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@Stargazer I find it hard to equate 3 weeks for repeatedly punching the head of a player pinned to the ground with Telea's four weeks for what was basically an accident of timing.
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@Daffy-Jaffy said in Super Rugby News:
@Stargazer I find it hard to equate 3 weeks for repeatedly punching the head of a player pinned to the ground with Telea's four weeks for what was basically an accident of timing.
Clearly Tele'a should've started wailing on the Stormers winger to mitigate tackling him in the air.
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@antipodean said in Super Rugby News:
@Daffy-Jaffy said in Super Rugby News:
@Stargazer I find it hard to equate 3 weeks for repeatedly punching the head of a player pinned to the ground with Telea's four weeks for what was basically an accident of timing.
Clearly Tele'a should've started wailing on the Stormers winger to mitigate tackling him in the air.
He's young, he'll know better for next time.
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@Stargazer said in Super Rugby News:
the Foul Play Review Committee deemed the act of foul play merited a mid-range entry point of 6 weeks due to the World Rugby instructions that dictate any incident of foul play involving contact with the head must start at a mid-range level.
Is that just poor wording or does that indicate that the FPRC wanted to start lower but had their hand forced?
Crazy that punching repeatedly and deliberately is 'mid-range'. I would have thought that low range is a little strike during one of those jersey grapples, mid range is a reaction while breaking away like a reckless swing that connects. Deliberately smacking someone shows intent and disregard of laws.
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@Hooroo thst is the great aspect
But the piss poor and inconsistent judiciary is a joke.
I'd have expected van der merwe to get min of 8 weeks for his part.
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@Daffy-Jaffy said in Super Rugby News:
@Stargazer I find it hard to equate 3 weeks for repeatedly punching the head of a player pinned to the ground with Telea's four weeks for what was basically an accident of timing.
They're completely different offences. Tele'a's is one of dangerous play, a punch is one of foul play.
I disagree it's just an accident of timing. Tele'a didn't take responsibility for how the player landed, which he should have done as soon as he realised he was causing a collision.
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@Stargazer so do you think Telea is deserving of a high punishment than van der merwe?
Agree that they are completely different, but both still carry a very high risk of injury (permanent) one was a very deliberate act of violence, the other was a clumsy reckless act.
Lets not forget the Frenchman had his RC overturned for what was a very similar act and result...
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@Crucial said in Super Rugby News:
@Stargazer said in Super Rugby News:
the Foul Play Review Committee deemed the act of foul play merited a mid-range entry point of 6 weeks due to the World Rugby instructions that dictate any incident of foul play involving contact with the head must start at a mid-range level.
Is that just poor wording or does that indicate that the FPRC wanted to start lower but had their hand forced?
Crazy that punching repeatedly and deliberately is 'mid-range'. I would have thought that low range is a little strike during one of those jersey grapples, mid range is a reaction while breaking away like a reckless swing that connects. Deliberately smacking someone shows intent and disregard of laws.
Punching can be low-end, mid-range and top-end, just like any other offence. No doubt it will depend on the force of the punches thrown, where they connect etc, what range they'll deemed to be. Contact with the head always starts mid-range, never low-range. What the wording suggests to me is that, while the punches connected with the head, there wasn't much in it otherwise. Looking at the footage, there wasn't much force behind them, which was also clear from how easily the players stood up and walked away. Not much impact.
A little strike (with an open hand) during jersey grapples usually doesn't lead to a red card/citing, even if it connects with the head. If you close your hand in a jersey grapple, it's a deliberate punch, whether it's a reaction or not.
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@taniwharugby said in Super Rugby News:
@Hooroo thst is the great aspect
But the piss poor and inconsistent judiciary is a joke.
I'd have expected van der merwe to get min of 8 weeks for his part.
There is no inconsistency at all. The offences are described in the regulations, which provide for clear guidelines on the low-end, mid-range and high-end sanctions. The regulations also clearly provide for aggravating and mitigating factors that are available and how they affect the sanctions. The regulations were applied consistently as well.
If you want to complain about something, complain about the regulations, but not the judiciairy.
Also don't forget that the FPRC have access to a lot more video angles than we have, as well as other evidence.
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@Stargazer
The issue for me is intent versus the result.
It shouldn’t be about the result but about the action/intent.
In Tele’a case it was not malicious in nature or even overtly reckless. Leyds lands on his feet Tele’a would’ve got a yellow card and nothing more.
Van De Merwe on the other hand is clearly intending to land some hurt on the other guy. If he breaks the other guys face he would have got stung but because he ‘missed’ he gets a lesser penalty. -
@Stargazer it's great that you are so trusting in the systems and processes, seeing it all as consistent and fair.
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@taniwharugby Nothing to do with trust. I read every decision and they are consistent. I never said it's fair, but if there's unfairness, it's not due to inconsistency of the judiciary or following the prescribed process.
I also don't agree with statements from some ferners that they should punish intent instead of result. Then you would get crazy decisions where someone, who tries to punch someone, but only lightly connects with someones hair or ear, would get a high-end sanction, while someone being reckless causes someone to land on their head only getting off with a warning.
That would take away the whole purpose of the rugby laws that aim at preventing serious injury due to dangerous play.
