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Johannesburg - Cheetahs coach Franco Smith says it was “disappointing” that flank Paul Schoeman has been banned for a week as his actions were never intentional.
According to SuperSport.com, Schoeman was suspended for one week for a stiff arm tackle on an opponent and will now miss the Cheetahs final game of their tour of Australia as a result.
The hard-working flank will not be replaced and is likely to return home to Bloemfontein as a result.
Smith, speaking from the team’s base in Manly, Sydney, said he was disappointed at the citing, but accepted it nevertheless.
“It is disappointing, Paul was unlucky and while it was a fair decision to cite him, it is a pity because it was never intentional. I can’t replace him anyway, so no replacement has been called,” Smith told Supersport.com.
Sanzaar’s disciplinary committee cited Schoeman on Friday and accepted a guilty plea from the player for “contravening 10.4 (e) Dangerous tackling of an Opponent including the action known as the “stiff arm" tackle during the match between the Reds and Cheetahs at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on 30 April 2016.”
“Schoeman has been suspended from all forms of the game for 1 week up to and including Saturday 7th May 2016,” the statement read.
“SANZAR Duty Judicial Officer Nigel Hampton QC assessed the case. In his finding, Hampton ruled the following:
" Paul Schoeman (the Player) and his representatives appeared before me and admitted the dangerous tackling charge as cited.
" I found the tackle, through the use of the Player's left arm making contact with the left face and, particularly, the left eye area of the Reds' player to be, objectively, dangerous. Given the Player's explanation that with his left arm he was endeavouring to dislodge the ball from the tackled player's grasp, which explanation fitted with the views available on the video clips, I found the dangerous contact not to have been intentional, but rather the result of recklessness on his part.
" In all the circumstances, including the up-dated medical report on the opposing player, I found this to be lower end offending, with a starting point for sanction at a 2 week suspension.
" Given the Player's age (23), his comparative inexperience (this, his first season of Super Rugby) and his previous 'unblemished' disciplinary record, I found a 'discount' should be appropriately allowed and reduced the sanction to one of a suspension for 1 week, up to and including Saturday 7 May 2016.
" He accepted a 1 week period of suspension, taking him out of any involvement in rugby up to and including Sat 7 May 2016, thus making him ineligible for the Cheetahs' next match vs the Waratahs next weekend."
The Cheetahs will face the Waratahs before returning home this weekend.
