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Fri 2 Jun 2017 | 09:02
Tom Wood banned for 6 weeks after pleading guilty to head stamp

14
Comments

Northampton flanker Tom Wood has been handed a 6-week suspension for a head stamping incident that left Stade Francais fullback Djibril Camara dazed and bloodied. The incident also provided some extra drama as Wood took exception to Camara's reaction. 

It happened during Saints' tight 23-22 Champions Cup play-off final win over Stade last Friday night. 

Concerning stamping, Law 10.4 (b) of World Rugby's sanctions for foul play state: Stamping or trampling on an opponent, carries the following sanction entry points - Low End: 2 weeks; Mid-Range; 6 weeks; Top End: 12 to 52 weeks. 

An independent committee deemed the offence to have been worthy of the 12 week entry point.

"The committee upheld the red card decision and found that Wood's stamp resulted in reckless contact with Camera's head. The committee then decided that the offence was at the top end of World Rugby's sanctions and selected 12 weeks as the appropriate entry point."

However, due to his admission of guilt, overall good record of discipline and remorse for the incident, his suspension was then reduced to 6 weeks.

For his part, Camara was replaced by Morne Steyn but not before getting into a small altercation with Wood after the latter accused Camara of milking the situation.

The win put Saints back into the Champions Cup next season. Unfortunately for Wood, the suspension will mean he will miss England's upcoming tour of Argentina.

credit: lerugbynistere

Posted By: davidharper

14 Comments

  • colombes
    10:10 AM 06/06/2017

    "However, due to his admission of guilt, overall good record of discipline and remorse for the incident, his suspension was then reduced to 6 weeks."

    Yeah, i guess complaining to the ref, refusing to quit the pitch and provoking the player you just agressed means a good gesture from the commission. Hilarious, like always.

  • drg
    2:32 PM 04/06/2017

    Hmmm, one of the rare times he's got me OUT of trouble...

  • dancarter
    1:00 PM 04/06/2017

    Good work from your brother, nice to have someone on the field who has your back. My only ever yellow card in rugby was for grabbing a player and punching him because he was stamping on my teammate's head and chest. I tried to alert the ref who did nothing, so I took matters into my own hands. I'd do it again if I had to.

  • drg
    12:06 AM 04/06/2017

    Go to bed Hoot, you're drunk, you were right the first time....

  • hoot
    10:12 PM 03/06/2017

    Oops. Just deserts.

  • hoot
    8:09 PM 03/06/2017

    Not wanting to be too much of a pedant RD, but I don't think your last sentence is quite right - it's not 'unfortunate' for Wood to miss the England tour. It wasn't any bad luck or misfortune, it is him getting his just desserts. Horrible to see incidents like this where someone defenceless is gone for.

  • jimmy23
    5:14 PM 03/06/2017

    The reaction of Tom and the crowd was pretty damn disgraceful here. It doesn't matter whether Camara was making a meal of it or not, if you step on someones face (even if it wasn't deliberate), you deserve a red card.

  • vladimir
    4:25 PM 03/06/2017

    'I confess, sir, I could hold myself when I saw that filthy frenchman on the ground. I had to smash him'
    'Very well, my son, go on in peace.'

  • drg
    11:05 PM 02/06/2017

    Nah, not being funny, milking it or not, you can't stick your boot on someone's head and expect them to react favourably towards you...

    I've been pinned at a ruck and seen an oppo player look me in the eye then place his boot on my face, fortunately he was smashed out the way by my brother before he put weight on me (if he ever was going to put weight on me). It's not cool kids, I'd have been happy to see Wood get beaten black and blue for that kind of shit!

  • 45678
    5:18 PM 02/06/2017

    hard to see any malicious intent from wood, although I cant quite see what he was trying to do by entering the ruck. the ball was lost, he didn't do anything when he got there, so why did he not stay in the guard position.

    I've not noticed before, but he's got an uncanny resemblance to James Blunt

  • im1
    4:52 PM 02/06/2017

    sorry, when I say accident, I mean not intentional i.e. reckless.

  • dancarter
    4:14 PM 02/06/2017

    Yeah, I don't think admission of guilt should be of any value in such a clear cut case. I do like the reduction of the ban if the player has a good history of discipline though as it punishes repeat offenders like Calum Clark, Hartley, Dupuy, Cudmore etc.

  • 3:01 PM 02/06/2017

    Not sure how it can be an accident. He didn't hit the ruck, he stepped into a fairly static situation. It is his responsibility where he steps and if it is on someone else's head I have no sympathy for him. Admission of guilt in these circumstances is fairly laughable given the clear video evidence.

  • im1
    1:54 PM 02/06/2017

    how can Wood get a reduction in the ban for 'admission of guilt'/good behavior at tribunal etc, when he didn't leave the pitch quietly straight way? I don't think this warrants being a 'top-end' offence though as looks like a genuine accident with minimal force. Looks like saw where his foot went and didn't put any weight on it. I can't recall him throwing as much as a punch or anything similar before, so he isn't the sort of chap who would get carried away and go stamping. So maybe 6 weeks is the right length. It should just have been a mid-end offence but not reduced becasue of the afters.

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