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Tue 25 Aug 2015 | 02:28
Northland prop Matt Talaese red carded and banned for full time charge

7
Comments

Northland prop Matt Talaese has been suspended for three weeks following a dangerous charge that took place on full time in the ITM Cup second round match against Southland this past weekend. Talaese pleaded guilty to the offence.

With time up and Northland trailing 18-24, looking for a converted try to get in front, Southland flanker Tim Boys got his hands on the ball in an attempt to win the turnover. His position was such that he couldn't be cleared out the first time, so Talaese came charging in.

Unfortunately for both players, the 130kg prop made contact with Boys' face, leaving the referee little option but to red card the massive prop.

A disciplinary hearing followed and Judicial Officer Nigel Hampton QC accepted a guilty plea from Talaese, after he acknowledged that his actions were in breach of the law. Mr Hampton took the player's remorse, admission of responsibility and clean disciplinary record into account when considering the sanction.

He has been suspended from all forms of the game for three weeks.

To make matters worse, the resultant penalty gave Southland's Lima Sopoaga a kick at goal, which ruled out Northland's chance of a losing bonus point. Southland won 27-18.

Posted By: Grant Constable

7 Comments

  • browner
    12:12 PM 28/08/2015

    45678 Its not a worrying precedent at all, quite the contrary.

    WR has responded to the epidemic rise in concussions by taking a firm stance against players committing these cheap shot 'dangerous' actions.

    Law 16.2[b]
    A player joining a ruck must bind on a team-mate or an opponent, using the whole arm. The bind must either precede, or be simultaneous with, contact with any other part of the body of the player joining the ruck.

    The game has for too long turned a blind eye to what we saw, players need to wise up & it's not contrary to their interests it's "in their interests"

    Well done that referee, I hope Rugby World Cup also sees this robustly dealt with, for the good of the game.

  • 45678
    9:51 AM 27/08/2015

    The game has changed and moved on in the last 10 years, but even so this is a soft, soft red card. Being 130kgs shouldn't make any difference. you can lift players out of rucks wrestle them off their feet, but you can't actually clear a player out in a ruck? I know this is by the letter of the law a shoulder charge, but it happens multiple times in every game and sets a worrying precedent

  • karimabuseer
    4:24 PM 26/08/2015

    Would this come under generic dangerous play? Or the fact he didn't bind on into the ruck?

  • drg
    11:52 AM 26/08/2015

    I don't believe the red card was the result of the ruck situation or the goings on within it, I'd guess it was a result of a shoulder to the face...

  • drg
    9:12 PM 25/08/2015

    Because Talaese admitted guilt, is he not admitting that he willingly chose to run his 130kg frame shoulder first into the face of a vulnerable player???

    Clean disciplinary record could be something to take into account, but this admission of guilt malarky in any of these scenarios is utter rubbish..

  • mitch_tickler
    4:57 PM 25/08/2015

    What a C#@t...! Dangerous and unsporting.

  • mitch_tickler
    4:57 PM 25/08/2015

    What a C#@t...! Dangerous and unsporting.

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