Naholo escapes with one match ban

The SANZAAR Foul Play Review Committee has accepted a guilty plea from Waisake Naholo of the Highlanders for contravening Law 10.4(g) Dangerous charging or obstructing or grabbing of an Opponent with or without the ball, including shouldering, after he was Red Carded during a Super Rugby Match at the Weekend. 

Naholo has been suspended from all forms of the game for 1 week, up to and including Saturday 20 May 2017.

The incident occurred in the 64th minute of the match between the Bulls and Highlanders played at Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria on 13 May 2017.

The SANZAAR Foul Play Review Committee of Nigel Hampton QC (Chairman), Stefan Terblanche and Stephen Hardy assessed the case.

In his finding, Foul Play Review Committee Chairman Nigel Hampton QC ruled the following: 

"Having considered the Referee's description of the incident and the available video footage, the Foul Play Review Committee amended the charge to Law 10.4(g) Dangerous charging or obstructing or grabbing of an Opponent with or without the ball, including shouldering.  Having further considered all the evidence, including submissions from his legal representative, Aaron Lloyd, the Foul Play Review Committee found the Player's actions to have breached the Red Card threshold." 
 
"With respect to sanction the Foul Play Review Committee deemed the act of foul play merited a low-end entry point of 2 weeks. However, taking into account mitigating factors including the Player's good Judicial record and early guilty plea, the Foul Play Review Committee reduced the suspension to 1 week."

"The player is therefore suspended for 1 week, up to and including Saturday 20 May 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 person appearing must plead guilty and accept the penalty offered by the Foul Play Review Committee.