JAMES LOWE HEARING OUTCOME

May 3 • General News, Super Rugby • 2164 Views • Comments Off on JAMES LOWE HEARING OUTCOME

Player: James Lowe
Team: Chiefs
Position: Wing
Date of Yellow Card Incidents:
Round 3: Chiefs v Crusaders, 28 February 2015
Round 4: Chiefs v Highlanders, 6 March 2015
Round 12: Rebels v Chiefs, 2 May 2015

James Lowe of the Chiefs has had no further sanction imposed by the SANZAR Duty Judicial Officer after receiving a third yellow card in the 2015 season during a Super Rugby match at the weekend.

According to the SANZAR Judicial Rules:

6.1 – A Player who has received three yellow cards or three Citing Commissioner Warnings (or any combination thereof) arising from Matches in the same Super Rugby Competition shall be required to appear before the Duty Judicial Officer appointed for the Match during which he last offended. At the same time as notification of the details of his hearing pursuant to Rule 4.1, the Player shall be sent copies of the Match Officials’ Reports in relation to each incident and be advised that the purpose of the hearing before the Duty Judicial Officer is to consider the circumstances in which each yellow card and/or Citing Commissioner Warning was imposed and determine whether any further penalty should be imposed on him by reason of his persistent foul play.

SANZAR Duty Judicial Officer Nicholas Davidson QC heard the case and ruled the following:

“James Lowe received yellow cards in Round 3 (tackling a player in the air), in Round 4 (dangerous tackle) and in Round 12 (a strike with the knee).

“Application of Rule 6.1 requires consideration of the circumstances of each yellow card. Possible sanction is based upon repeat breaches and three such incidents are a pre-requisite to any sanction.

“The second yellow card was effectively, but not formally, set aside by the review conducted by the SANZAR Referee Performance Management Team, and supported by the World Rugby Referee Selection Committee. They considered that this tackle was legitimate and the yellow card was wrongly issued.

“The Judicial Officer would not lightly override those conclusions which means in this case, Lowe has in substance committed two yellow card offences. He did not therefore come up for possible sanction under Rule 6.1. The yellow cards in Round 3 and 12 remain on his record this season.

“The yellow card in Round 12 was not the subject of a citing and does not call for consideration as such.”

All SANZAR disciplinary matters are in the first instance referred to a Duty Judicial Officer hearing to provide the option of expediting the judicial process.