South Africa’s Aseza Hele attended an independent Disciplinary Committee hearing for an offence contrary to Law 9.13 (dangerous tackle) in South Africa’s WXV 2 match against Italy on 20 October, 2023.
The independent Disciplinary Committee was chaired by Jennifer Donovan (Ireland), joined by former international referee Donal Courtney (Ireland) and former international player Becky Essex (England).
The player accepted that foul play had occurred, and that the offence warranted a red card.
The Committee noted that the offence carries a mandatory minimum mid-range sanction (six matches), and having considered the mitigating factors, including admission of foul play and correctness of the red card at the first opportunity, an exemplary disciplinary record, apology to the player and good character, reduced the sanction by the maximum mitigation of 50 per cent. The sanction is to apply as follows:
- South Africa v Samoa – 27 October, 2023
- Harlequins v Trailfinders – 18 November, 2023
- Harlequins v Sale Sharks – 25 November, 2023*
*The player intends to apply to take part in the World Rugby Coaching Intervention Programme to substitute the final match of the sanction for a coaching intervention aimed at modifying specific techniques and technical issues that contributed to the foul play subject to successful completion. Further information can be found here.
The player has the right of appeal within 48 hours of the issuing of the full written decision, which will appear here once published.
Visit World Rugby’s dedicated disciplinary process education and information page here, which includes a video on how rugby’s disciplinary process works.