URC statement: Tom Jordan banned after his Glasgow red card

As expected, Glasgow out-half Tom Jordan will miss next weekend’s European Challenge Cup final after learning his disciplinary hearing fate following last weekend’s red-carded head-high tackle on Munster’s Conor Murray in the first half of the URC quarter-final.

The Warriors are set to take on Toulon in Dublin on May 19, but they will do so minus the 24-year-old New Zealander who debuted for the Scottish club last September away to Benetton.

Curiously, the missed games originally highlighted for his five-week ban on the URC media release were four outings in the local Scottish Super 6 Sprint Series while he was also ruled out of Barbarians selection for their May 31 match at Swansea.

However, there was no mention of the impending European final an oversight rectified in a follow-up clarification. “In addition to this morning’s release regarding Tom Jordan’s suspension, it should be clarified that the player will not be available for Glasgow’s EPCR Challenge Cup final,” it read.

At the hearing, the entry point for the tackle offence committed by Jordan was originally 10 games. This was reduced to five when the full 50 per cent mitigation was applied, and it could yet be cut to four if Jordan successfully completes the World Rugby coaching intervention programme.

An initial statement read: “The disciplinary process relating to the red-carded Tom Jordan has resulted in a five-week suspension. After an act of foul play by the Glasgow No 10, referee Andrea Piardi showed a red card in the 25th minute of the game under law 9.13.

“In the player’s responses to the judicial officer overseeing the disciplinary process (Simon Thomas, Wales), he accepted he had committed an act of foul play which warranted a red card. Thomas found that the incident met the red card threshold, with a top-end entry warranting a 10-week suspension.

“The player received a five-week reduction for mitigation including his unblemished disciplinary, timely guilty plea and apology to the Munster No 9. This resulted in a five-game suspension. Should the Player complete the World Rugby coaching intervention programme then the sanction will be reduced by one week.”

Fixtures Tom Jordan is unavailable for:
May 13: Super 6 Sprint Series 5
May 19/20: EPCR Challenge Cup final; Super 6 Sprint Series 6
May 27: Super 6 Sprint Series final
May 31: Barbarians v Swansea
July 29: Super 6 Sprint Series 1 (season 2023/24)