Cape Town - Free State Cheetahs prop Schalk van der Merwe has been cleared to resume his Currie Cup duties following a disciplinary hearing on Wednesday.
Van der Merwe received a red card in the 74th minute of the Cheetahs’ Currie Cup match last Saturday for allegedly lifting Blue Bulls fullback Jurgen Visser, twisting him and failing to bring him to ground safely, which contravened Law 10.4 (j).
Adv Donny Jacobs, who presided over the case due to the unavailability of Adv André Oosthuizen, ruled that the imposition of a further penalty was not necessary on the basis that it could not be proved on a balance of probabilities that Visser was lifted and twisted in the tackle, and cleared Van der Merwe to play.
The judicial officer was initially expected to make his decision on Thursday, but announced his finding earlier due to the time constraints ahead of the team’s Currie Cup semi-final against The Sharks at Growthpoint Kings Park on Saturday.
Van der Merwe received a red card in the 74th minute of the Cheetahs’ Currie Cup match last Saturday for allegedly lifting Blue Bulls fullback Jurgen Visser, twisting him and failing to bring him to ground safely, which contravened Law 10.4 (j).
Adv Donny Jacobs, who presided over the case due to the unavailability of Adv André Oosthuizen, ruled that the imposition of a further penalty was not necessary on the basis that it could not be proved on a balance of probabilities that Visser was lifted and twisted in the tackle, and cleared Van der Merwe to play.
The judicial officer was initially expected to make his decision on Thursday, but announced his finding earlier due to the time constraints ahead of the team’s Currie Cup semi-final against The Sharks at Growthpoint Kings Park on Saturday.