Bismarck gets four weeks; Elliot one
Springbok hooker Bismarck du Plessis has been banned for four weeks, following his sending off in the Sharks versus Chiefs Super Rugby match at the weekend.
His direct opponent, Chiefs hooker Hikawera Elliot, was slapped with a one-week ban for his act of foul play in a spiteful match in Durban - won 12-11 by the Sharks.
SANZAR duty judicial officer Adam Casselden accepted a guilty plea from Du Plessis for contravening Law 10.4 (c): A player must not kick an opponent.
The Bok hooker was sent off in the 18th minute of the match.
Du Plessis has been suspended from all forms of the game for four weeks up to and including April 18.
The SANZAR duty judicial officer, Casselden, in his finding ruled the following: "The player's kick was pre-meditated, intentional and unprovoked. It was reckless, that is the player knew - or should have known- there was a risk of committing an act of foul play. In my opinion the offence was a grave one and the possibility of serious injury existed.
"The Chiefs' No.8 was in a vulnerable position on the ground. He did not see the kick, even if he had, he had limited means available to him, given the position of his arms and body, to protect himself from the player's actions.
"Whilst the player claims he was frustrated by Chiefs' No. 8 not releasing him from the tackle earlier that does not, in my opinion, entitle him to retaliate by kicking his opponent in the area of the head with a studded boot. The head is of course sacrosanct.
"Gerrie Swart, the player's representative, submitted that the offence was in the lower end of seriousness, particularly given no injury was sustained by Chiefs' No. 8.
"Accordingly, I found that the offence should be categorised as a mid-range offence and that the entry point of an eight-week suspension was the relevant starting point.
"I was informed that the player was suspended for three weeks in 2008 for dangerous contact to the head area of an opponent. Apart from that indiscretion, the player has not been found guilty of any foul play. In 2012 he received two yellow cards - a red card offence - in the one Test match against New Zealand which resulted in him being ordered off the playing enclosure. At the subsequent judicial hearing there was a finding by the judicial officer that the referee's decision to issue one of the yellow cards was wrong. As a result, the red card issued in that Test match was expunged from his record.
"Although the player was suspended seven years ago for dangerous contact to the head of an opponent that does not, in my opinion, categorise the player as a repeat offender of the game to warrant any uplift on the entry point as an aggravating factor.
"Since 2008 it seems he has been a model player and in my opinion, no other aggravating factors existed for consideration other than those which were taken into account in determining the appropriate entry point.
"The player has played professional rugby for approximately 12 years. He has played 77 Test matches for South Africa, 125 Super Rugby matches and in the order of 47 Currie Cup matches. Apart from a three week suspension in 2008 the player's disciplinary record is unblemished. This is his first red card offence in a lengthy first class playing career.
"I accepted that the player's remorse and contrition for his offending was genuine and his acceptance that he committed an act of foul play at the earliest opportunity.
"Having regard to the above mitigating factors and the overall culpability of the player's offending, I was satisfied that the eight week entry point should be reduced to four weeks.
"Accordingly, I offered the player a four week suspension as a preliminary indication of penalty in accordance with the DJO process, which was accepted."
He was sent off in the 16th minute after charging into the back of the head of an opponent.
Elliot has been suspended from all forms of the game for one week up to and including March 28.
Casselden, in his finding, ruled the following: "Having considered all matters, I was satisfied that a low entry point was appropriate which dictated a suspension of two weeks.
"The lower entry point was reached with some hesitation given the deliberate and reckless actions of the player in charging into the maul without the use of his arms and making contact with the head of the Sharks' No.1 [Tendai Mtawarira] with his right shoulder.
"His actions clearly placed his opponent at a risk of injury to his head and/or neck, however, I was satisfied on balance, that the player's offending did not warrant a mid-range assessment of seriousness.
"With respect to mitigating factors, I took account of the following: the player has played four matches for the All Blacks, approximately 100 Super Rugby matches and in excess of 100 NPC matches. The player has an impeccable disciplinary record, never previously receiving a red card or cited for foul play since commencing his professional rugby career in 2004.
"The player accepted that he committed an act of foul play at the first available opportunity. Taking those mitigating factors into account and the overall culpability of his offending, I was satisfied that the two-week suspension should be reduced to one week."
* The other two cases from the match - before SANZAR - will be heard on Monday and Tuesday.
Following initial consideration by Casselden, Sharks midfielder Francois Steyn will appear at a SANZAR judicial hearing, after he was sent off for alleged foul play during a Super Rugby match at the weekend.
Steyn is alleged to have contravened Law 10.4 (j): Lifting a player from the ground, in an incident that occurred in the 28th minute of the match.
The judicial officer for the hearing will be Jannie Lubbe. The hearing will be held by video conference on Monday.
Chiefs captain Liam Messam will appear at a hearing on Tuesday for his part in the day's unsavoury events.
Messam is charged with having contravened 10.4 (e): Dangerous Tackling, in an incident which occurred in the 18th minute of the match.
The Judicial Officer for the hearing will also be Lubbe and will be held by video conference.