At the World Rugby Pacific Challenge 2016 match between Fiji Warriors and Junior Japan at the ANZ Stadium, Suva on 12 March, 2016, Joeli Veitayaki (Fiji Warriors) was sent off for an offence contrary to Law 10.4(j) - lifting a player from the ground and dropping that player while that player’s feet are off the ground, such that the player’s head and/or upper body come into contact with the ground.
Following a full review of the footage and receipt of oral evidence, the independent judicial officer, Mosese VW Naivalu (Fiji), concluded that the player, who had pleaded not guilty, did not commit the act of foul play as alleged and accordingly he was allowed to play immediately.
In the same match, Mesulame Kunavula (Fiji Warriors) was cited for an offence, again contrary to Law 10.4(j). The player pleaded guilty to the offence and so the independent judicial officer, Naivalu, had to determine what further sanction should be imposed upon the player, if any.
The judicial officer considered that this was a mid-range offence and the player was suspended for five weeks commencing 17 March, 2016. As such, Kunavula may play again on 22 April, 2016.
On 17 March, during the game between Tonga A and the Fiji Warriors, Sione Lolohea (Tonga A) was ordered off the field of play on the basis that, after being allegedly punched by Lepani Raiyala of the Fiji Warriors, the player retaliated and punched Raiyala, which was a breach of Law 10.4(a).
Following a full review of the footage and receipt of oral evidence, the independent judicial officer, ‘Aminiasi Kefu SC (Tonga), concluded that the player, who pleaded not guilty, did not commit the act of foul play as alleged and, accordingly, he was allowed to play immediately.
In the same game, Lepani Raiyala (Fiji Warriors) was ordered off the field of play on the basis that he had punched the Tonga A number eight, Sione Lolohea, which was a breach of Law 10.4(a).
Following a full review of the footage and receipt of oral evidence, the independent judicial officer, Kefu, concluded that the player, who again pleaded not guilty, did not commit the act of foul play as alleged and, accordingly, he was allowed to play immediately.
Also in that game, Bruce Folau (Tonga A) was cited for an alleged dangerous tackle in breach of Law 10.4(e) on Fiji Warriors number two, Samu Suguturaga.
As the player accepted that he had committed the alleged foul play, the judicial officer, Kefu, had to consider what the appropriate sanctions, if any, should be imposed. In assessing the seriousness of the offending, he determined that the offending was at the lower end of the level of offending, which has an entry point of two weeks' suspension.
After determining that there were no off-field aggravating factors against the player, mitigating factors in favour of the player were considered and the judicial officer decided to reduce the sanction to one week. However, he then exercised his further discretion under section 12.10.3(c) of the tournament terms of participationto determine that, based on the level and type of offending, it was wholly disproportionate to impose a one-week sanction on the player. Accordingly, it was decided that no sanction would be imposed on the player, who was therefore free to play immediately.