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Cape Town - Sekope Kepu has accepted that he should be further sanctioned by the SANZAAR Foul Play Review Committee following a hearing under SANZAAR Judicial Rule 6.1.
Kepu was issued a warning by the Citing Commissioner during the Waratahs' Round 7 Super Rugby clash against the Hurricanes in Wellington last Friday.
That warning was Kepu's third offence after receiving yellow cards in both Rounds 1 and 2 this season.
The SANZAAR Judicial Rules in Section 8 of the Tournament Manual state:
SANZAAR Judicial Rule 6.1
A Player who has received
three yellow cards or three Warnings (or any combination
thereof) arising from matches in the same Super Rugby Competition shall be
required to appear before the Foul Play Review Committee appointed for the
Match during which he last offended. At the same time as notification of the
details of his hearing pursuant to Rule 4.1, the Player shall be sent copies of
the Match Officials' Reports in relation to each incident and be advised that
the purpose of the hearing before the Foul Play Review Committee is to consider
the circumstances in which each yellow card and/or Warning was
imposed and determine whether any further penalty should be imposed on him by
reason of his persistent foul play, or the matter referred to a full hearing,
pursuant to Rule 7.
Kepu has been suspended from all forms of the game for one week, up to and including Friday, April 21, 2017.
The Waratahs have a bye in Round 8, and as a result Kepu will serve his suspension in his next scheduled match in Round 9 against the Kings in Sydney.
The SANZAAR Foul Play Review Committee of Nigel Hampton QC (chairperson), Stephen Hardy and John Langford assessed the case.
In his finding, Foul Play Review Committee Chairman Nigel Hampton QC ruled the following:
"The Foul Play Review Committee conducted a detailed review of all the
available evidence on all three incidents, including video and additional
evidence, as well as evidence from the player and submissions from
his legal representative, Anthony Black SC."
"With respect to sanction the Foul Play Review Committee deemed that
a one week sanction was appropriate due to a number of factors including the
fact the player had committed three qualifying offences in
a relatively short period of time, the fact the player was put on
notice after receiving his second yellow card and the similarity of
the offences committed by the player in the first two yellow cards and the
foul play aspect of the third."
"There were mitigating factors that were also considered which included the player's excellent judicial record spanning a long career and his early acceptance of the suspension."
"The player is therefore suspended for one week, up to and including the Waratahs' next scheduled match on Friday, April 21, 2017.”
All SANZAAR disciplinary matters are in the first instance referred to the Foul Play Review Committee to provide the option of expediting the judicial process.
For a matter to be dispensed with at this hearing, the player appearing must plead guilty and accept the penalty offered by the Foul Play Review Committee.
