Australia’s Siokapesi Palu attended an independent Disciplinary Committee hearing for an offence contrary to Law 9.13 (dangerous tackling) in Australia’s WXV 1 match against Wales on 3 November.
The independent Disciplinary Committee was chaired by Jennifer Donovan (Ireland), joined by former international players Becky Essex (England) and Ofisa Tonu’u (New Zealand).
The player accepted that foul play had occurred and that it 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, 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:
- ACT Brumbies v Hong Kong China Women – 10 February
- NSW Waratahs v ACT Brumbies – 24 February
- Oceania v ACT Brumbies – 2 March*
*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 can be found here.
Visit World Rugby’s dedicated disciplinary process education and information page here, which includes a video on how rugby’s disciplinary process works.