Alesana Tuilagi, the Samoa and Newcastle wing, has received a five-week ban for kneeing an opponent during the defeat to Japan. It was an “inherently dangerous act” that was a clear case of foul play, ruled the judicial officer who heard the case.
Tuilagi, playing what turned out to be his final match for Samoa, raised his knee as he was about to be tackled by the Japan centre Harumichi Tatekawa who suffered a head injury. Most camera angles did not pick up the offence, prompting the outrage on social media, but one showed that the Newcastle wing had breached the foul play regulation by kneeing an opponent who the following day was diagnosed as suffering from concussion.
Tuilagi argued at Tuesday’s hearing through his legal representative that his right knee had come up as a consequence of pushing off his left leg and was not deliberate and Tatekawa had put himself in a bad position, but that contention was rejected.
The judicial officer, England’s Antony Davies, said in his written judgment: “I have seen Mr Tuilagi play rugby many times, enough to know that what I have seen is not his normal running style. He raised his knee to a height that was totally unnecessary for the type of contact he said he was attempting to achieve. I find no criticism of anything [Tatekawa] did.
“Fortunately, this type of contact is rare but when it occurs it is quite rightly regarded as foul play. The act I have seen carried out by Mr Tuilagi was inherently dangerous and I simply cannot accept that it was an accident. I accept the player did not intend to cause injury, but unfortunately his actions did.
“The physical injury sustained by the Japan centre [a stinger] was resolved within 24 hours. The neurological deficits were more serious. I accept the evidence of the Japanese team doctor that he examined the player the morning after the game as he was complaining of nausea, neck pain, head pressure and headaches. He concluded that the player had suffered a concussion injury and placed him on the return to play protocol, accepting it was probable rather than possible that the player would be fit for the next match.”
Samoa had three players sent to the sin-bin. One of them, the No8 Faifili Levave, was cited for playing an opponent without the ball. He pleaded not guilty to committing an act of foul play. The verdict went against him but the yellow card he received for the offence was deemed sufficient punishment.
The tournament organisers have been criticised for discriminating against players from the South Seas islands in the judicial process, citing them for offences it has been claimed that players from other countries get away with, but the system is independent and judicial officers are hard on acts that, accidental or not, have the potential to cause serious injury.
Several former players have hit out at the ban handed to Tuilagi that means the wing will miss the start of the Premiership season. The former England captain Lewis Moody said he was appalled by the charge. He tweeted: “I’m appalled Alesana has been banned for five weeks. How is running into an opponent an act of foul play. Should we play walking rugby now!!!”
“Crazy decision, seriously think by the time we get to the 2023 World Cup it will be a Tag rugby tournament,” added the former Wales flanker Martyn Williams.
The former England hooker George Chuter also had his say: “Tuilagi ban is ridiculous. Had I been banned every time I sat someone down like that in my career, I would have served around zero weeks…”
Tuilagi’s suspension takes effect immediately, ruling him out of the match against Scotland at Kingston Park on Saturday, as well as Newcastle’s first four Premiership fixtures – against Gloucester, Northampton, Exeter and Worcester.
Japan face the might of Tuilagi at full speed - brought to you by @SamsungUK | #SamsungRugby http://t.co/nZYxTSLVIX
— ITV Rugby (@ITVRugby) October 3, 2015
