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Bristol's battle to beat the drop hit by try-scorer's four-week ban
By Online Editors
Bristol’s bid to beat the Premiership drop has been dented by the four-week suspension of one of their main attacking threats.
Alapati Leiua has scored a half-dozen tries in his nine league starts this season. However, the Samoan will now miss their March fixtures against Gloucester, Northampton and Worcester, as well as the Challenge Cup away quarter-final at La Rochelle.
The Samoan had contested his citing from the February 16 loss at Harlequins, claiming he has simply mistimed his fending off of Marcus Smith with his arm.
However he failed to convince an independent disciplinary panel of his innocence at a Wednesday night hearing and has been left to stew on the sidelines until April 2.
A statment released by Premiership Rugby read: Alapati Leiua of Bristol Bears appeared before an independent disciplinary panel last night.
(Continue reading below...)
He was cited by independent citing commissioner Paul Burke following the match Harlequins v Bristol Bears on Saturday 16 February 2019. This was for striking Harlequins' Marcus Smith with the arm contrary to Law 9.12. The incident occurred in the first half of the match.
Leiua contested the charge but was given a four-week suspension by the panel comprising Gareth Graham (chair), John Doubleday and Nick Dark. He is free to play again 2 April 2019.
Panel chair Gareth Graham said: “As the player carried the ball into the tackle, he led with his forearm and struck Marcus Smith, the tackler, to the side of the head. The panel accepted the player’s evidence that he had mistimed an attempt to fend off the tackler and had not intended to strike the Harlequins player.
"However, the panel found that by leading with his forearm into the tackle, where the forearm then made contact to the tackler’s head, the player had committed a reckless act of foul play that passed the red card threshold. The panel upheld the citing.
"For an offence of striking with an arm which results in contact with the head, there is a mandatory mid-range entry point of a six-week ban. The panel found that the player had a good disciplinary record and was remorseful and was entitled to a reduction of two-weeks by way of mitigation."
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Latest Comments
The difference between Fassi and Le Roux?
Almost 100 tests. Fassi is growing from test to test and is already world class. It’s going to be difficult for Damian Willemse to usurp Fassi at 15 and may find himself destined as the utility back on the bomb squad.
South Africans love hating on their fullback. A proud tradition since Percy Montgomery (before he won us a World Cup). So I don’t pay much mind to the noise that follows anyone who puts on the 15 jersey for SA.
15 is a high risk, low reward position. You don’t dare drop a high ball, certainly don’t shank a kick into the stands. In fact if you’re not kicking 60m torpedoes into the opposition corners - stay at home.
And miss tackles? After everyone else on the team has let a break through - best you not miss!
Only Andre Joubert strikes me as a fullback that has been better than Willie. Yet Willie has been widely panned on a regular basis. Irritating.
Fassi is great. And I’m sure he’s learning a lot from Willie.
Go to commentsNo, Penney's win rate as a Super Rugby coach BEFORE he was given a 2 year contract here, was 23%. He came in with a very poor success rate at SR level.
This loser vibe was borne out over the SR season where we won only 4 games while losing 10. Finishing 9th in a 12 team competition & missing a QF spot was next level DOWN.
There's zero evidence that suggests we will win 10 games (70%) as you predict. I understand there may be new assistant coaches coming on board. At this stage, we can only hope for the best.
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