RED CARDS : MANAGEMENT, PROCEDURES AND SANCTIONS

Decision ?

Why issue red cards ? Dangerous play Punching, kicking Referee abuse 2 yellows

Tip Tackle

Tackling in the Air

IRB GUIDANCE Lifting a player in the tackle another forcing or dropping into the ground is dangerous. Tackler lifts the ball carrier beyond the horizontal : the player is lifted and forced or ‘ speared ‘ into the ground – red the player is dropped to the ground from a height, with no regard for his safety – red for all other ‘ lifting ‘ tackles – yellow. The intention of the tackler is irrelevant. The decision should be made on an objective assessment of the circumstances.

Principles The player in the air must be protected in the interest of safety. A player who challenges an opponent who is in the air has a duty of care to that opponent. Intention is irrelevant. But, you can still allow a fair competition for the ball by two players who have jumped.

Challenges in the air is still one of the hardest decision-making areas for the referee because there is so much to take into consideration. We will be looking at all the factors that aggravate it. For example, does the player deliberately play a man in the air, which would obviously aggravate it? How did he land? Did he land heavily? Did he land from a height? Does he land on the head or shoulder? Also, and this has been a big push from the players, we have to take into consideration how quickly the game is happening. What we hope we will see this year is a bit more common sense and rugby decisions, so you might hear us explain our decisions a bit more over the ref mic so people know how we've got to a red card, yellow card or a play-on.   Player Safety

Game scenarios https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOW2r4i671I   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOW2r4i671I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2tHI8gIxvs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYHrZIcvqz8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDGxiM1HXmM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NYbk_tWVGw http://www.therugbyblog.com/watch-should-george-kruis-have-seen-red-for-this-tip-tackle http://www.rugbyrefs.com/showthread.php?18706-Is-this-a-ridiculous-and-unjustifed-YC

Jurisdiction Players on the pitch Replacements Replaced players Coaches Not spectators

Jurisdiction Starts when you arrive Doesn’t end with the final whistle

After the whistle ...... After the final whistle had been blown I was shaking hands with several of the players from each team, the …… no 16 …………. came up to me and said clearly :  Thank you very much Sir you f…… p…. . He turned away and walked to his team-mates who by this time had all gathered together. I took a few  seconds to gather my thoughts on what he had just said to me, then walked over to where the ….. team were standing together with their coach, called the player and his captain towards me, explained what I had just heard directed at me and issued him a Red Card.

Information Player’s name Number Position Detail of offence Time of red card Score at the time

Prevention Informal warning to player Warning to captain Close down dissent early on Whistle before incident escalates Yellow card to calm things down

Prevention The second half started well enough but after the …… team conceded two penalties in quick succession the level of back chat and dissent from the no 10 half started to intensify.  I warned him to calm down and advised his captain to control his players.   I then gave a penalty against a different ……….. player for being offside. The fly half had the ball in his possession. He was 1m from an opponent who was clearly asking for the ball. Instead of handing him the ball he threw it 20m behind the opponent in what could be best described as a sling shot.  I penalised this by moving the penalty 10m forward. The No 10 became irate claiming he had been trying to throw the ball to the penalty mark but got it wrong.  I advised him to calm down and continued the match.  I kept close observation on No 10 as he was clearly incensed. In the 74th minute, ……. broke through but then knocked on. I blew for this offence as the No 10 had the ball in hand. I was no more than 2m from him when he slammed the ball down in font of me using foul and abusive language saying " oh f…. sake !'. I converted the free kick to a penalty and asked for the number 10 and ……………. captain to come to me. The captain arrived but the number 10 continued to walk away. I asked him to return to me as did his captain but he refused instead began shouting at me across the pitch " if you are going to bloody send me off just do it! Why do I need to walk all the way over to you for f…. sake".  It was at this point I showed him a red card and ordered him from the field of play.

Report procedures Notify Mike Skeels by text Complete Boundy card Red card icon on WTR fixtures page Save report as draft Facts, not opinions Save as final when asked

Good reports no 1 As I began to move with play, the red player (no 1) appeared on his back at my feet with a blue player (no 22) on top of him. The blue player immediately pulled his right arm back and punched the red player to the side of the head …. I immediately blew my whistle to stop play and the 2 players were immediately surrounded by 2 or 3 players from both teams. No further fighting occurred and the skirmish ended. Once both players were stood up, I moved the teams away and I spoke to both players involved and their respective captains. I never had my view obstructed by players during the incident. I red carded the blue player (no 22) for punching. The player did not apologise to me during the game or after the game in the bar.

Good reports no 2 The game was in the final minutes and red were running every ball they got back at blue. The red prop (no 3) took the ball and made a start to accelerate. The blue second row wearing no 11 ran towards him to tackle. He went high and the tackle was with a single high arm which contacted the red player in the neck just below the chin. The red player was taken backwards to the ground. I immediately blew the whistle, and the red physio attended to the player.  I called the offending player and his captain over and explained that it was a dangerous high tackle, and ordered him from the field.

Don’t say this .......... I blew loudly for the penalty immediately and play stopped. Mr X turned towards me and in an agitated and loud manner berated my decision stating that (in his opinion) the ball was out and that I was a disgrace. I walked backwards a few paces into space, stopped the clock, and called the red captain and Mr X over. After a few moments they both arrived I noted that Mr X was still agitated. I explained the offence to Mr X and with the red captain present showed Mr X a yellow card my view being that it would reduce a rising temper in the game. Mr X turned around still talking and walked toward the touchline directly in front of me. He was about 2 to 3 metres away from me when I heard him again repeat that I was a disgrace followed by the statement that I was a F...... C.... I heard this clearly. I blew my whistle and invited Mr X to return with his captain. I suggested to the red captain that if he could persuade his player to apologise for his remark then the yellow card would stand. If he could not then I would escalate the card to a red.

Don’t say this ....... In my opinion Mr X's actions were accidental and there was no malice or intention and he showed remorse and regret and should receive the minimum sanction available to your discretion. I yellow carded X for being involved in the skirmish .... I did not see him throw any punches but he was clearly unnecessarily involved in a general wrestle with Y and therefore playing the player without the ball.   X stood up and took a swing at Y with a fist, making contact with the face of Y. The incident took place right in front of me and I saw the punch. After the game, X came to apologise to me and took responsibility for his actions. He demonstrated what a gentleman he is and I believe this to be an isolated incident ......

Sanctions Panel decides whether offence is low end mid range top end

Sanctions L M T Max Referee abuse 6 12 18 52 Punching 2 5 8 52 High tackle 2 6 10 52 Tip tackle 4 8 12 52 Eye contact 12 18 24 208 Stamping 2 5 9 52 Assault/threats to a referee 24 48 96 Life

Mitigation Up to 50% reduction for : guilty plea good record youth/inexperience conduct at hearing remorse

PUNCHING X picked up the ball from a ruck - received a knee to the left side of the top of his head. He said that the blow did not cause him any pain or injury. He began to run towards the opponents’ line when he was tackled by what he thought was two opposing players and pushed into touch. One of the tackles was below the chest line and the other was high but it had not gone above shoulder height. He denied that there was any altercation between him and the player as they got to their feet. He said as soon as he had got to his feet and just as he had got stable the Player punched him with his right hand to the left side of his face. X described how he immediately felt that his jaw had moved to the right hand side of his mouth. He also described it feeling mis-aligned. He said he instantly had ringing in his ear and a tingling in his jaw. He had difficulty closing his mouth and he could not open it very wide either.

DECISION   Act was intentional but no intention to cause the injury. Injury was serious and had resulted in several weeks of pain and discomfort. Some provocation and an element of self defence. No effect on the game X was not vulnerable at the time of the incident. Entry point : Top end Starting point : 27 weeks. Mitigation : 9 weeks Ban : 18 weeks.

Dangerous Tackle In 28th minute of the game, C moved the ball from breakdown to first receiver who attacked the defensive line. He then passed to a player off his shoulder with a player outside of him in support. The player with the ball went through the defensive line. L no 23 was in the defensive line, he ignored the player with the ball who went straight past him. He then carried on through and hit the support player (C no 5) with no arms and high, a second after the ball had passed him and 5m away from the person carrying the ball. C no 5 lay prone on the pitch for several minutes after the incident before being assisted off. He was concussed, confused and vomited shortly after being taken from the pitch. He states he was knocked unconscious and missed work for 2 days. He did not play rugby for 3 weeks.

DECISION Entry point : Mid range Starting point : 6 weeks Mitigation : 2 weeks Ban : 4 weeks

Tip Tackle B attacking towards W goal line. After a tackle, ruck forms. B11 is on the ground, B8 is standing touchline side with B15 infield providing guard. W9 attempts with no arms to move B8 from ruck/tackle area with little success. B8 then puts his right arm over the left shoulder of W9, picks him up by his shorts from the back and pulls him towards him, through the horizontal so that W9 lands on the ground near the touchline in a head first motion. Citing Officer says that contact with the ground first made with W9's head/neck shoulder area, coupled with his right hand being pushed out to break the fall. W9 then rolled onto his back.

DECISION   Entry point : Mid range - (i) the intentional nature of the act, (ii) the vulnerability of the victim and (iii) this could have resulted in serious injury. Starting point : 6 weeks Mitigation : 3 weeks Ban : 3 weeks.

Stamping B had control of the ball and were very close to C's try line. SE scrum half wearing no.15 used his boot to clear the ball from the ruck. In doing so, he stamped on a C players head. This was dangerous play and I issued a red card. Player : As I entered the game quite late on I was eager to up the tempo of my teams ball. During the 56th minute of the game, I approached the ruck not seeing the ball. I then spotted the C no 19 laying on the ball trying to slow it down. I attempted to rake the ball back from the player but accidentally made contact with his head. There was no intent or maliciousness. I put this down to clumsiness. I then received a red card from the referee. After the game I was very apologetic to the player which I had made contact with and accept the appropriate punishment for my clumsiness.

DECISION   Entry point : Mid range Starting point : 5 weeks Mitigation : 2 weeks Ban : 3 weeks.

Contact with the Eyes S were attacking, which ultimately resulted in a try. There was an off-the-ball incident which started with the Player and X grappling with each other on the floor. Holding onto each other, they begin to get to their feet. They fall to ground again and as they are getting back to their feet a second time and facing each other, the Player is on his feet and X on his knees. X is holding the Player’s right hand with his own right hand in a handshake grip. With his left hand, the Player takes hold of X’s scrum cap towards the back of the head and behind X’s right ear. The Player then shakes his right hand loose from the grip of X and moves his right hand into the eye area of X, grasping him with crooked fingers and applying force in a pushing motion until his right hand slides over the back of X’s head and then goes on to grab the back of X’s head. Both players go to ground again.

DECISION   Entry point : Mid range. Player targeted the head and grabbed at the eye area with his right hand in a claw-like grip. Starting point : 18 weeks. Mitigation : 9 weeks. Ban : 9 weeks.

Dissent A scored a try. As the try scorer touched the ball down, the player pulled the ball away. The referee awarded the try, as he believed downward pressure had been placed on the ball. As soon as the referee signalled for the try, the player immediately shouted No f***ing way ref that’s a f***ing s**t decision. The referee turned around to see it was the player and as the referee looked at him he continued to scream at him : f*** off ref you’re a f***ing c**t for giving that, I have had a f***ing enough of this s**t. The player then started to walk away from the referee. The T captain was trying to calm the player down but the player continued to shout I don’t f***ing care what he says I am f***ing out of here. The referee then issued a red card and tried to explain why. As the referee did so the player shouted at the referee I don’t f***ing care you’re a c**t referee. He started to walk towards the sidelines and as he did he looked over, and saw that the referee was watching him leave the pitch. He then screamed at the referee : You’re a f***ing c**t ref I am watching you, you come in the bar later and I will f***ing deck you. I will f***ing have you, you c**t. The referee continued to watch him leave the pitch; the player started to slow down and the referee thought he might not leave. He stopped, turned around and started walking back towards the referee, shouting I am going to f***ing deck you now, come here you c**t.

DECISION   Entry point : Top end Starting point : 154 weeks. Mitigation : Player had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and had apologised to the referee for his actions. Reduction of 50 weeks. Ban : 104 weeks.