AI Matches W3: Sat 12; Ire v Fij - Eng v Jap - Wal v Arg : Sun; Sco v NZ

[Tichtheid]

Saint Richie Gray denied that he had committed an act of foul play worthy of a red card.

But having reviewed all the evidence, the Committee deemed that on the balance of probabilities, there was foul play in that the Player had led with his elbow into the tackle area to the danger to others.

On that basis, the Committee applied World Rugby’s mandatory minimum mid-range entry point for foul play resulting in contact with the head. This resulted in a starting point of a six-week suspension.

Having acknowledged mitigating factors including Gray’s excellent disciplinary record, the Committee halved the six week sanction to three. Gray is available to play again on December 4.

Flying leading elbow to face it would seem.

Naughty boy.

As I alluded to on the Scottish thread, it's an odd one. If you plead not guilty it almost always comes out far worse for the player.

the Committee deemed that on the balance of probabilities, there was foul play

That tells us that there was no camera angle that showed what actually happened, or if there was it was inconclusive.

I may be mistaken in this, but I don't recall Gray ever even receiving a yellow card before in over 300 senior games. Scotland were confident of him being cleared, hence the not guilty plea.

It was taken as mid-level entry point, which a deliberate elbow to face would not be (it carries a maximum 52-week ban), and then the ban was reduced by half.

Odd.

But these panels seldom make sense.

[Ymx]

I’m thinking they were basing it on being reckless rather than a deliberate attack.

[Lobby]

I’m thinking they were basing it on being reckless rather than a deliberate attack.

Correct. The reduction was also based on his previous good disciplinary record, rather than him having admitted the offence.

I'm also not sure that the statement that the conclusion was 'on the balance of probabilities' carries as much meaning as Tichtheid ascribes to it. 'Balance of probabilities' is just the standard of proof required for these hearings, and as Gray had denied the offence, any conclusion that the offence was proven would have to be made 'on the balance of probabilities'.

[Raggs]

Yep, I'm imagining they're going for reckless rather than deliberate. Kind of hard to deny you weren't reckless when your elbow smacked a guy in the face hard enough to cut him open.

[Tichtheid]

Yep, I'm imagining they're going for reckless rather than deliberate. Kind of hard to deny you weren't reckless when your elbow smacked a guy in the face hard enough to cut him open.

True, but in the judgement, they said there were no mitigating circumstances, then reduced the level of ban after a not-guilty plea, already having changed the actual charge at the request of the representatives of the player.

I don't recall that happening before.

There is a range starting at accidental and ending at reckless, deliberate is a different thing altogether.

I have no problem with head contact being punished., it must be taken out of the game, I just don't see a lot of consistency.

This is a yellow card, apparently.

[Raggs]

Most the force goes into the shoulder for that one above, but it was still just dropping a shoulder in, so I'd have looked at red anyway.