Connacht player cops lengthy ban for 'top end' neck stamp on Josh van der Flier

Dominic Robertson-McCoy of Connacht Rugby faced a Disciplinary Hearing today via video conference following his red card sending off in his side's interprovincial derby with Leinster Rugby.

A Disciplinary Panel convened in Edinburgh to consider the red-card decision against the player resulting from the Round 5 fixture against Leinster on September 29, 2018.

The player was shown a red card by referee John Lacey under Law 9.12 – A player must not physically or verbally abuse anyone. Physical abuse includes, but is not limited to, biting, punching, contact with the eye or eye area, striking with any part of the arm (including stiff-arm tackles), shoulder, head or knee(s), stamping, trampling, tripping or kicking.

The Disciplinary Panel, comprising Kathrine Mackie (Chair), Beth Dickens and Robert Milligan QC, (all Scotland), considered all the circumstances. The player admitted committing an act of foul play by stamping on the neck and conceded that the referee’s decision to issue a red card was not wrong. The panel determined that the act of foul play warranted a top end entry point of 12 weeks.

The Panel also considered the player’s previous clean disciplinary record, his early and full acknowledgement of his actions and the remorse he expressed and concluded that full mitigation of 50 per cent should be applied.

As a result, the player has been banned for a period of six weeks. He is free to play from midnight Sunday, November 18.

Meanwhile Uzair Cassiem of Scarlets was banned for two weeks.

A Disciplinary Panel convened in Edinburgh to consider the Citing Complaint made against Uzair Cassiem (No 20) of Scarlets for an incident which occurred against the Isuzu Southern Kings on Saturday, September 29, 2018.

The complaint was made with regard to an incident in the 62nd minute of the Guinness PRO14 Round 5 fixture at Parc y Scarlets (Llanelli) when the player made contact with an opponent’s eye/eye area.

The player was cited for an infringement of Law 9.12 – A player must not physically or verbally abuse anyone. Physical abuse includes, but is not limited to, biting, punching, contact with the eye or eye area, striking with any part of the arm (including stiff-arm tackles), shoulder, head or knee(s), stamping, trampling, tripping or kicking.

The Disciplinary Panel, comprising of Roddy Dunlop QC (Chair), Frank Hadden and Iain Leslie (all Scotland), concluded that an act of foul play had occurred and merited a low-end entry point (four weeks) for contact with the eye/eye area.

The Panel deemed that the action was reckless but not deliberate and applied full mitigation of 50 per cent. As a result the player has been banned for a period of two weeks and is free to play from midnight on Sunday, October 14.