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Skelton and Batty given similar punishment for last weekend's European red cards
By Online Editors
Gallagher Premiership duo Will Skelton and Ross Batty have both received four-week suspensions following red cards during last weekend's Heineken Champions Cup matches.
Australian Skelton was sent off by Nigel Owens in the 39th minute of Saracens' dramatic win over Racing at Allianz Park for tackling visiting full-back Brice Dulin in a dangerous manner.
An independent disciplinary committee comprising of chair Roddy Macleod (Scotland), Frank Hadden (Scotland) and Craig Sowman (Ireland) upheld the red card decision, finding Skelton had made contact with Dulin’s head in a dangerous manner.
Six weeks was selected as the appropriate mid-range entry point on World Rugby’s list of sanctions. It then determined the offence was at the mid-range of World Rugby’s sanctions. However, the proposed ban was reduced by two weeks to four, leaving Skelton free to play again on February 24.
A disciplinary committee featuring the same personnel that dealt with the Skelton case handed out a similar four-week ban to Bath’s Batty following his sending off by Alexandre Ruiz in the 73rd minute of their game last Saturday at Ulster. Batty was carded after tackling John Cooney.
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The committee upheld the red card decision, finding that Batty had made contact with Cooney’s head in a dangerous manner. Again, six weeks was selected as the sanction entry point and this was reduced by two weeks, leaving Batty free to play again on March 2.
The difference in the date when the two players can return to play is due to Saracens having more matches in the coming weeks because of their semi-final fixture in the Premiership Cup, a tournament Bath have already been eliminated from.
WATCH: Andy Goode and Brendan Venter didn’t hold back on this week’s The Rugby Pod as they discussed Saracens and the salary cap scandal
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A few comments. Firstly, I am a Bok fan and it's been a golden period for us. I hope my fellow Bok fans appreciate this time and know that it cannot last forever, so soak it all in!
The other thing to mention (and this is targeted at Welsh, English and even Aussie supporters who might be feeling somewhat dejected) is that it's easy to forget that just before Rassie Erasmus took over in 2018, the Boks were ranked 7th in the world and I had given up hope we'd ever be world beaters again.
Sport is a fickle thing and Rassie and his team have managed to get right whatever little things it takes to make a mediocre team great. I initially worried his methods might be short-lived (how many times can you raise a person's commitment by talking about his family and his love of his country as a motivator), but he seems to have found a way. After winning in 2019 on what was a very simple game plan, he has taken things up ever year - amazing work which has to be applauded! (Dankie Rassie! Ons wardeer wat jy vir die ondersteuners en die land doen!) (Google translate if you don't understand Afrikaans! 😁)
I don't think people outside South Africa fully comprehend the enormity of the impact seeing black and white, English, Afrikaans and Xhosa and all the other hues playing together does for the country's sense of unity. It's pure joy and happiness.
This autumn tour has been a bit frustrating in that the Boks have won, but never all that convincingly. On the one hand, I'd like to have seen more decisive victories, BUT what Rassie has done is expose a huge number of players to test rugby, whilst also diversifying the way the Boks play (Tony Brown's influence).
This change of both style and personnel has resulted in a lack of cohesion at times and we've lost some of the control, whereas had we been playing our more traditional style, that wouldn't happen. This is partially attributable to the fact that you cannot play Tony Brown's expansive game whilst also having 3 players available at every contact point to clear the defence off the ball. I have enjoyed seeing the Boks play a more exciting, less attritional game, which is a boring, albeit effective spectacle. So, I am happy to be patient, because the end justifies the means (and I trust Rassie!). Hopefully all these players we are blooding will give us incredible options for substitutions come next year's Rugby Championship and of course, the big prize in 2027.
Last point! The game of rugby has never been as exciting as it is now. Any of Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, France, Argentina, Scotland, England & Australia can beat one another. South Africa may be ranked #1, but I wouldn't bet my house in them beating France or New Zealand, and we saw Argentina beating both South Africa and New Zealand this year! That's wonderful for the game and makes the victories we do get all the sweeter. Each win is 100% earned. Long may it last!
Sorry for the long post! 🏉🌍
Go to commentsWouldn’t mind seeing that grounding in slow mo there. Too much to ask?
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