Scarlets’ back-five player Vaea Fifita has been suspended for a month after his sending off against Cardiff Rugby.
The lock or blindside flanker was dismissed in the 77th minute of last weekend’s United Rugby Championship match in Llanelli for a dangerous ruck clearout on Shane Lewis-hughes. The indisciplined shot saw the Tonga international make contact with the head area of the Wales international.
Referee Adam Jones showed him a straight red for his action.
Fifita will miss four games, a sanction that could be reduced by a week if he undertakes a World Rugby coaching intervention programme.
His moment of madness, as some have since styled it, came as the Scarlets were pressing for victory. Cardiff were leading at the time, but the west Walians were building up a head of steam and looked to have a major chance of taking the spoils. But after his exit, and the penalty that went with it, they lost impetus., with Cardiff holding on for a 16-10 success. You can read more about the match here.
Fifita was sanctioned under law 9.13 — a player must not tackle an opponent early, late or dangerously.
In his response to the judicial officer Andrea Caranci, from Italy, the player accepted he had committed an act of foul play which warranted a red card.
Caranci found that the incident met the red card threshold, with entry of mid-range warranting six weeks. Fifita received two weeks’ weeks mitigation due to his good record.
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