Disciplinary hearing vindicates latest Peyper red card decision
South African referee Jaco Peyper has had his latest Dublin red card decision vindicated at a disciplinary hearing. It was March when the red card brandished by Peyper to England’s Freddie Steward during the Guinness Six Nations finale against Ireland in Dublin was rescinded at a follow-up disciplinary.
However, there was no similar let-off for Michael Ala'alatoa, the Leinster sub who was sent off in the dying moments of last Saturday’s Heineken Champions Cup final at the same ground.
In the immediate aftermath of the sending-off, beaten Leinster coach Leo Cullen said: “I’ll have to look back on it in more detail. You have got to just trust the referee’s call on the day.”
Meanwhile, winning La Rochelle boss Ronan O’Gara reckoned: “It’s very unfortunate for Mike Ala’alatoa. You have got to come in at that pace to shift bodies. Unfortunately, he got his angle wrong and it’s a head collision and it’s a red card. Desperately disappointing for him because he is a good guy and he plays with aggression, but he is very, very fair.”
The Samoan prop will now pay a three-game Rugby World Cup preparation price, a sanction that can be reduced to two if he successfully completes the World Rugby tackle school.
A statement read: “The Leinster replacement prop, Michael Ala’alatoa, has been suspended for three weeks following an independent disciplinary hearing arising from the Heineken Champions Cup final on May 20. Ala’alatoa was sent off by the referee, Jaco Peyper (South Africa), in the 78th minute of the match at the Aviva Stadium for charging into a ruck in a dangerous manner and for making contact with the head area of the Stade Rochelais replacement prop, Georges-Henri Colombe, in contravention of law 9.20(a).
“An independent disciplinary committee comprising Roddy Dunlop (Scotland, chair), Leon Lloyd (England) and Frank Hadden (Scotland) studied video imagery of the incident and heard evidence from Ala’alatoa who accepted the red card decision.
“The committee also heard submissions from the player’s legal representative, Derek Hegarty, from Leinster head of rugby operations Guy Easterby, as well as from EPCR disciplinary officer Liam McTiernan.
“The committee upheld the red card decision, finding that Ala’alatoa had charged into the ruck in contravention of law 9.20(a) and had also made contact with the head of Colombe, in a dangerous manner.
“It then determined that the offending was at the mid-range of World Rugby’s sanctions and six weeks was selected as the appropriate entry point. As the player has a clear disciplinary record and due to his acceptance of the red card, it was decided to grant him the full 50 per cent mitigation and the committee reduced the sanction by three weeks before imposing a three-week suspension.
“Ala’alatoa is suspended for Samoa’s fixtures against Japan on July 22, against Fiji on July 29 and against Tonga on August 5. He is free to play on Monday, August 7. However, if he applies for and successfully completes a World Rugby coaching intervention, he will be free to play on Monday, July 31.”
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Hi Nick. Thanks for your +++ ongoing analysis. Re Vunivalu, He’s been benched recently and it will be interesting to see what Kiss does with him as we enter the backend of SRP. I’m still not sold.
Go to commentsIn the fine tradition of Irish rugby, Leinster cheat well and for some reason only known to whoever referees them, they are allowed to get away with it every single game. If teams have not got the physicality up front to stop them getting the ball, they will win every single game. They take out players beyond the ruck and often hold them on the ground. Those that are beyond the ruck and therefore offside, hover there to cause distraction but also to join the next ruck from the side thereby stopping the jackal. The lineout prior to the second try on Saturday. 3 Leinster players left the lineout before the ball was thrown and were driving the maul as soon as the player hit the ground and thereby getting that valuable momentum. They scrummage illegally, with the looshead turning in to stop the opposing tighthead from pushing straight and making it uncomfortable for the hooker. The tighthead takes a step and tries to get his opposite loosehead to drop the bind. Flankers often ‘move up’ and actually bind on the prop and not remain bound to the second row. It does cause chaos and is done quickly and efficiently so that referees are blinded by the illegal tactics. I am surprised opposition coaches when they meet referees before games don’t mention it. I am also surprised that they do not go to the referees group and ask them to look at the tactics used and referee them properly. If they are the better team and win, fair play but a lot of their momentum is gained illegally and therefore it is not a level playing field.
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