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Watson and Polota-Nau to miss start to Gallagher Premiership after suspensions handed down
By Online Editors
A kick in the face and a dangerous tackle in last weekend’s Premiership Cup action have resulted in respective four- and three-week suspensions being handed down which will see red-carded duo Saracens’ Charlie Watson and Leicester’s Tatafu Polota-Nau miss the start of the Gallagher Premiership season.
Charged with kicking, contrary to Law 9.12, the red-carded Watson appeared before an independent disciplinary panel in London on Tuesday. The kick to Northampton player Andrew Symons took place in the second half of the match last Sunday and Watson will be free to play from November 8.
Panel chair Richard Whittam said: “The panel accepted this was an act of frustration by the player in trying to release his leg from being held by Northampton Saints 12.
“Contact was clearly made with the face of the Northampton player but the action was petulant rather than with any intent to cause injury. In this instance, no injury was suffered and the Northampton player continued in the match after returning from the yellow card.
“The sanction table mandates a mid-range entry point where there is contact with the head. In this case, that entry point is eight weeks. The panel found no reason to go above that. The player accepted the charge, has no previous record and expressed remorse for his actions.
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"In the circumstances, the panel felt able to give the player the maximum mitigation of 50 per cent. The panel note that while the yellow card awarded to Northampton Saints 12 was not brought before them for consideration, it is disappointing to see actions of this nature in the professional game.”
Red-carded Polota-Nau also appeared before an independent disciplinary panel convened on Tuesday after his dangerous tackle against Bath’s William Chudley in the second half last Saturday. The Leicester player was given a three-week suspension by the panel, again chaired by Whittam, and is free to play from October 29.
Whittam said: “The player accepted that he had committed an act of foul play in tackling a player high, making contact to the top of his chest/bottom of the neck.
“In accepting the charge, the player acknowledged that the mandatory mid-range entry point would apply. The player was entitled to mitigation for his early acceptance of the charge, his clean record over an impressive rugby career, his genuine remorse for the injury caused and his off-field contributions to the local community. The panel allowed the full 50 per cent reduction resulting in a sanction of three weeks.”
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Yeah nar I pretty much agree with that sentiment, wasn't just about the lineout though.
Yeah, I think it's the future of SR, even TRC. Graham above just now posting about how good a night it was with a dbl header of ENGvSA and NZvFrance, and now I don't want to kick SA or Argentina out of TRC but it would be great if in this next of the woods 2 more top teams could come in to create more of these sort of nights (for rugby's appeal). Often Arg and SA and both travel here and you get those games but more often doesn't work out right.
Obviously a long way off but USA and Japan are the obvious two. First thing we need to do is get Eddie Jones kicked out of Japan so they can start improving again and then get a couple of US teams in SRP (even if one its just a US based and augmented Jaguares).
It will start off the whole conferences are crap debate again (which I will continue to argue vehemently against), but imagine a 6 team Pacific conference, Tokyo Sunwolves (drafted from Tokyo JRLO teams), Tokyo All Stars (made up of best remaining foreign players and overseas drafts), ALL Nihon (best of local non Tokyo based talent, inc China/Korea etc, with mainland Japan), a could of West Coast american franchises and perhaps a second self PI driven Hawai'i based team, or Jagaures. So I see a short NFL like 3 or 4 month comp as fitting best, maybe not even a full round, NZvAUSvPAC, all games taking place within a 6hr window. Model for NZ will definitely still require a competitive and funded NPC!
On the Crusaders, I liked last years ending with Grace on the bench (ovbiously form dependent but thats how it ended) and Lio-Willie at 8. I could have Blackadder trying to be a 7 but think balance will be used with him at 6 and Kellow as 7. Scott Barrett is an international 6 sized player. It is just NZ style/model that pushes him into the tight, I reckon he'd be a great loose player, and saders have Strange and Cahill as bigger players (plus that change could draw someone like Darry back). Same with Haig now, hes not grown yet but Barrett hight and been playing 6, now that the Highlanders have only chosen two locks he'll be playing lock, and that is going to change his growth trajectory massively, rather than seeing him grow like an International 6.
Go to commentsDan Carter is the leading points scorer and leading points per game person for a player with significant tests. 2s RWC winner and member of the games greatest ever team. It's not even close. The only question of GOAT for rugby is whether McCaw deserves it given Carter's numbers.
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