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Mon 10 Jul 2017 | 02:07
Chance Peni-Ataera suspended for 3 weeks for shoulder shot

10
Comments

Western Force winger Chance Peni-Ataera has been suspended for three weeks after a dangerous tackle agaisnt Melbourne Rebels at the weekend. He accepted a guilty plea aafter it was found that he contravened Law 10.4(e) Dangerous tackling of an Opponent.

In his finding, Foul Play Review Committee Chairman Nigel Hampton QC ruled the following: "With respect to sanction the Foul Play Review Committee deemed the act of foul play merited a mid-range entry point of 6 weeks.

"However, taking into account mitigating factors including the Player's youth and inexperience in rugby, his clear Judicial record and the fact he pleaded guilty at the earliest available opportunity, the Foul Play Review Committee reduced the suspension to 3 weeks."

The challenge looked fairly similar to that of Sonny Bill Williams on Anthony Watson recently. On that occasion Williams was red carded, and received a four week ban.

Posted By: Grant Constable

10 Comments

  • wolonel
    11:00 PM 15/07/2017

    get this ref out of the game. TACKLING IS A SKILL

  • heavyhooker
    4:30 PM 13/07/2017

    I think the refs will be looking hard at the jumping for passes. They have to, otherwise this game is going to end up even more down the toilet. See my comment from that fiasco.

  • dancarter
    6:09 PM 12/07/2017

    If a player is too young or inexperienced to tackle safely then he shouldn't be playing. I don't think his age or experience should come into it, but if that is their reasoning then they need to act on it. I played from about the age of 11 and I didn't tackle high or without using my arms once. Tackling is not a complex feat, it's one of the basic skills in the game.

  • rememberthemer
    11:56 PM 11/07/2017

    "go low, commit early" - good advice. Just ask Charlie Faumuina. Sigh.

  • drg
    10:27 AM 11/07/2017

    Exactly, being a forward I've found myself being caught out on a two on one, had no chance so lined the carrier up and did my best to ruin his day legally.....Ended up getting a knee or leg or something in the spuds for my trouble, but it felt brilliant to put in a hard legal hit as I saw the benefits of the guy passing much earlier later in the game.... I don't remember the outcome of the two on one, they probably scored and I probably got schooled on a number of further events in the game haha.

  • im1
    10:21 AM 11/07/2017

    This is an automatic red card, by the laws already! Its relatively straight forward as well. When you get a 'mid-range' ban, that means its obviously a red card, but not the most terrible thing to happen on a pitch, but essentially, if there is a video replay of it available to the ref, they should be in no doubt that it is a red card.

    29 year old ref in his first year of super rugby. I'd say a lack of experience has led to that decision.

  • heavyhooker
    9:11 PM 10/07/2017

    I agree Dr G, go low, commit early, hit hard and make the offense think twice about holding too long.

  • heavyhooker
    9:10 PM 10/07/2017

    I saw the youth and inexperience and thought the same thing. You would think by now that the professionals would have their S$#% together and realize that shoulder hits are bad news. I am all for the escalating punishments on these types of hits..

  • drg
    6:23 PM 10/07/2017

    Not far behind PDG in his opinions.. I don't really know what the referee saw here, looked to me like elbow hit Cummins chest and shoulder hit head... not really much else to debate there... it wasn't an "I stood my ground and just checked the guy" type of move, it was a simple case of smashing the guy because you knew he got the pass away... it was stupid, he could have lined up the guy and smashed him legally so that next time he passes the ball sooner. I'd be happy with a red card here, certainly wasn't far off SBW's effort...

  • pdg
    4:51 PM 10/07/2017

    What a complete and utter load of codswallop to say that a mitigating circumstance is the players youth and inexperience in rugby. The player irrelevant of age is a PROFESSIONAL PLAYER.
    It's total twaddle to use this as an area for his defence
    The tackle he made was a deliberate NO ARMS SHOULDER designed with malice to take the opposition player out of the game, making him unable to stay up with play and be a receiver further down the pitch
    All NO ARM tackles with the shoulder leading are designed to hurt an oppostion player with no regard to his safety and a deliberate act of thuggery
    The Law should be strengthened so that this act is an AUTOMATIC RED CARD and a ban of TEN WEEKS
    NO IFS, BUTS, MAYBES, OR MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES
    Furthermore a second act in the same season would be the player banned for the remainder of the season
    Come on the IRB GROW SOME BALLS and help to remove this act from the GAME

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