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Cape Town - SANZAR duty judicial officer Adam Casselden has accepted a guilty plea from Alby Mathewson of the Force for contravening Law 10.4 (b) Stamping or trampling, after he was cited during a Super Rugby match at the weekend.
Mathewson has been suspended from all forms of the game for one week up to and including 30 March 2014.
The incident occurred in the 3rd minute of the match between the Force and Chiefs at nib Stadium in Perth on Saturday 22 March 2014.
In his finding, Casselden ruled the following:
"After initially reviewing the video footage and Citing Commissioner's report, I began the hearing by taking submissions from the player and his representatives, including the player's counsel McCarthy.
"I then proceeded by establishing that the player accepted a breach for the cited offence and then identifying the various factors involved in the incident.
"I considered that the potential for harm in the circumstances was slight and accordingly I agreed with the player’s submissions that a lower end entry point for sanction was warranted under the regulations.
"The recommended entry point for lower end breaches of Law 10.4(b) is two weeks.
"Based on the acceptance of the indicated sanction, the player’s excellent disciplinary and playing record and in recognition of his early plea, a discount from the lower end entry point to a one week suspension was imposed up to and including Sunday, 30 March 2014.
"Accordingly, the player is suspended from all forms of the game up to and including 30 March 2014."
All SANZAR disciplinary matters are in the first instance referred to a duty judicial officer hearing to provide the option of expediting the judicial process.
For a matter to be dispensed with at this hearing, the person appearing must plead guilty and accept the penalty offered by the duty judicial officer.
Mathewson has been suspended from all forms of the game for one week up to and including 30 March 2014.
The incident occurred in the 3rd minute of the match between the Force and Chiefs at nib Stadium in Perth on Saturday 22 March 2014.
In his finding, Casselden ruled the following:
"After initially reviewing the video footage and Citing Commissioner's report, I began the hearing by taking submissions from the player and his representatives, including the player's counsel McCarthy.
"I then proceeded by establishing that the player accepted a breach for the cited offence and then identifying the various factors involved in the incident.
"I considered that the potential for harm in the circumstances was slight and accordingly I agreed with the player’s submissions that a lower end entry point for sanction was warranted under the regulations.
"The recommended entry point for lower end breaches of Law 10.4(b) is two weeks.
"Based on the acceptance of the indicated sanction, the player’s excellent disciplinary and playing record and in recognition of his early plea, a discount from the lower end entry point to a one week suspension was imposed up to and including Sunday, 30 March 2014.
"Accordingly, the player is suspended from all forms of the game up to and including 30 March 2014."
All SANZAR disciplinary matters are in the first instance referred to a duty judicial officer hearing to provide the option of expediting the judicial process.
For a matter to be dispensed with at this hearing, the person appearing must plead guilty and accept the penalty offered by the duty judicial officer.
