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Fri 19 Oct 2018 | 09:58
Hard-hitting style of former All Blacks leads to hefty bans for the pair of them

3
Comments

Former All Black forwards Liam Messam and Jerome Kaino have received bans following similar high tackles, both of which were deemed to be worthy of red cards.

Messam was carded for his high challenge on Montpellier's Yvan Reilhac, during Toulon's 29-17 road loss on October 7. He was found guilty of striking Reilhac's chin with the shoulder, thus producing the red card. He was banned for four weeks. Toulon plan to appeal the decision.

If the decision stands, Toulon will be without Messam until their visit to Bordeaux-Begles in late November.

Similarly, Jerome Kaino will sit on the Toulouse sidelines for five weeks after his high tackle on Bath's Jamie Roberts in round one of the Champion's Cup this past weekend. The physical number 8 was ruled to have contacted Roberts's jaw with his shoulder.

Kaino appeared before the independent disciplinary committee, where he entered a plea of not guilty. However, the committee upheld that he had contravened law 9.12: Striking With the Shoulder and upheld the determination of a red card for foul play.

The offence was determined to be mid-range and ban of six weeks was selected, with a one-week reduction for good conduct at the hearing. He will be available again in early December.

Kaino red card:

Posted By: davidharper

3 Comments

  • colombes
    1:16 PM 23/10/2018

    I can understand why refs are giving more and more red cards this autumn... in order to reduce the contacts with the head. But the problem is how they can judge the intent in these actions. Especially in Kaino case, it's more Roberts falling into Kaino shoulder than the opposite. These days, these decisions just become russian roulettes influenced by crowd reaction.

  • pickay
    9:40 AM 23/10/2018

    The game is really becoming more and more like tiddlywinks... Two shots that happen to go slightly high and the guys are sidelined for 4 and 5 weeks respectively. I don't see the point of that. And what annoys me most is that the disciplinary body is so overeager to get involved all the time. After the Kaino tackle the ref and the TMO had a long good look at it and decided on a yellow card. Why can't the citing commissioner leave it at that then and accept the refs decision? It's not like the incident was missed, not at all, it was spotted and it was dealt with right away, and that should be the end of the story right there. Feels like the disciplinary body is trying hard to maximise the number of bans in order to give their job some more significance.

  • 45678
    6:23 PM 19/10/2018

    Kaino admitted when interviewed after the match that he thought he was getting a red, so can’t understand why he would then claim innocence. Both great players, but can’t help thinking this is long overdue for passed sins

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