Ban puts damper on Carre celebrations

DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: Saracens prop Rhys Carre has had an eventful Wednesday of wildly different emotions.

In the morning he was chosen in Wayne Pivac's Wales squad for the upcoming Six Nations.

However, he learned later in the day that he will not be available for selection for their opening match of the tournament due to suspension.

Wales are due to play Italy in Cardiff on February 1, but Carre has been banned until two days later - following a three-week suspension meted out at a disciplinary hearing.

Carre was sent off by referee Alexandre Ruiz in the fourth minute of Saracens' Champions Cup win at Ospreys last Saturday.

The French official believed he tackled Dan Evans in a dangerous manner in contravention of Law 9.13 and a committee consisting of Chairman Philippe Cavalieros (France), Donal Courtney (Ireland) and Yannick Jauzion (France) backed the referee's decision.

The hearing found that Carre had made contact with Evans' head in a dangerous manner, deciding that the offence was at the mid-range of World Rugby's sanctions.

They selected six weeks as the appropriate entry point.

However, as there were no aggravating factors, and taking into account the player's guilty plea, clear disciplinary record and expression of remorse, the committee reduced the sanction by the maximum of 50 per cent before imposing a three-week suspension.

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* Meanwhile Glasgow Warriors flank, Callum Gibbins has been suspended for two weeks, following a disciplinary hearing.

Gibbins was alleged to have committed an act of foul play in his club's Champions Cup, Round Five match against the Exeter Chiefs at Scotstoun.

He was charged with having struck the Exeter Chiefs flank Jacques Vermeulen (No.7) with his shoulder in a dangerous manner in the 25th minute of the match in contravention of Law 9.12.

An independent Disciplinary Committee consisting of Philippe Cavalieros (France), Chairman, Donal Courtney (Ireland) and Antony Wheat (England), considered video imagery of the incident and heard submissions from Gibbins, who accepted that he had committed an act of foul play, but who did not accept that the offence warranted a red card.

The Committee decided that the charge should be altered to Dangerous play in a ruck under Law 9.20 which includes the offence of making contact with an opponent above the line of the shoulders.

The Committee upheld the citing complaint, finding that Gibbins had made contact with Vermeulen's head in a dangerous manner that had warranted a red card. It then determined that the offence was at the mid-range of World Rugby's sanctions and selected four weeks as the appropriate entry point.

Taking into account the player's clean disciplinary record and timely expression of remorse, the Committee reduced the sanction by the maximum of 50 percent before imposing a two-week suspension.

As a one-week suspension ordinarily results in a player missing one match, and as Glasgow Warriors' next fixtures are scheduled for Saturday (January 18) and February 14, Gibbins is free to play on Monday, February 17.

Both the player and EPCR have the right to appeal the decision.

* Toulouse flyhalf, Zack Holmes has been suspended for four weeks, following his disciplinary hearing.

The ban arose from his club's Champions Cup Round Five match against Connacht at The Sportsground.

Holmes was sent off by the referee Luke Pearce (England) in the 73rd minute of the match for tackling the Connacht fullback Tiernan O'Halloran (No.15) in a dangerous manner in contravention of Law 9.13.

The disciplinary committee - consisting of Jennifer Donovan (Ireland), Chairman, Nigel Williams (Wales) and Antony Wheat (England) - upheld the red card decision, finding that Holmes had made contact with O'Halloran's neck area in a dangerous manner.

It then determined that the offence was at the mid-range of World Rugby's sanctions and selected six weeks as the appropriate entry point.

The player was given credit for his guilty plea and timely expression of remorse.

However, as he had been sent off for a similar offence in the previous 12 months, the committee was not able to offer the full 50 percent reduction of the sanction, and a four-week suspension was imposed.

As Toulouse's next fixtures are scheduled for Sunday (January 19), January 26, February 1 (Super Sevens) and February 15, Holmes is free to play on Monday, February 17.