RFU SHORT JUDGMENT FORM RFU REGULATION 19 Match Macclesfield Leicester Lions Club level 4 Competition National League 2 North Date of match 30/09/2017 Match venue Macclesfield PAGE 1 PARTICULARS OF OFFENCE Player s surname Moss Date of birth 24.07.1987 Forename(s) Sam RFU ID number 00410166 Club name Macclesfield Plea Admitted Not admitted Offence 10.4(a) - Strike with head SELECT: Red card Citing Other HEARING DETAILS Hearing date 04/10/2017 Hearing venue London Bloomsbury Holiday Inn Chairman Dr Julian Morris Secretary Rebecca Morgan Panel member 1 Becky Essex Panel member 2 Mike Tutty Decision Proven Not proven Other disposal (please state) Click to enter other disposal. ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF CITING/REFEREE S REPORT/DVD FOOTAGE The Referee filed the red card report having received notification of the foul play from the Assistant Referee, Tudor Griffiths, the content of which read as follows:- Leicester Lions player tackled and on floor on his back with his head towards my touchline (AR on club/stand side). AR positioned 6 metres from the incident and view unobstructed. Sam Moss the Macclesfield hooker who had made/assisted with the tackle followed through and leading with his head slid over the Leicester Lion player s upper body. The head of Sam Moss (Macclesfield hooker) made contact with the head/shoulder of the Leicester Lions player. Sam Moss (Macclesfield hooker) had kept his hands below his own shoulders whilst holding onto to the tackled Leicester Lions player. I communicated to the referee that I had seen foul play. The referee stopped the game and invited me onto the pitch. I provided the referee with a description of what I had seen. The referee repeated this back to me and clarified that the Macclesfield hooker s head had made contact with the Leicester Lions player s head. The referee, based on the report of the AR, informed the AR that he was going to issue a red card to the Macclesfield hooker (number 2). The referee called over the Macclesfield captain and Sam Moss (Macclesfield hooker) and issued the red card. The Player attended before his own club internal disciplinary panel and accepted the charge. The England rose is an official registered trade mark of the Rugby Football Union and is the subject of extensive trade mark registrations worldwide.
PAGE 2 ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF CITING/REFEREE S REPORT/DVD FOOTAGE CONTINUED
PAGE 3 ASSESSMENT OF SERIOUSNESS REGULATION 19.11.8 PLEASE TICK APPROPRIATE BOX Intentional/deliberate 19.11.8(a) Reckless 19.11.8(b) Gravity of player s actions 19.11.8(c) The contact was head against head but with limited force and was described as a lead with the head following a tackle. Nature of actions 19.11.8(d) Contact to the head of an opponent Player. The Player explained he hadn t intended to make contact but rather impose himself upon the opposition Player. Existence of provocation 19.11.8(e) The Player alleged that he had been punched immediately prior to this action. Whether player retaliated 19.11.8(f) The Player retaliated to perceived foul play against him. Self- defence 19.11.8(g). Effect on victim 19.11.8(h) Leicester Lions provided an injury report as follows:- Our physio assessed our player No.1 Joe Newton- Taylor after the incident and no injury was sustained by the player. Contact with our player was predominantly around the lower head/jaw region and shoulder of our No.1. Our player was tested in Maddox at HT and was passed fully fit to remain on the field of play. Effect on match 19.11.8(i) Vulnerability of victim 19.11.8(j) The victim was on the floor at the time of the incident. Level of participation/premeditation 19.11.8(k) This was an immediate reaction to an act of foul play against the Player and not premeditated. Conduct completed/attempted 19.11.8(l) The conduct was complete. Other features of player s conduct 19.11.8(m)
PAGE 4 ASSESSMENT OF SERIOUSNESS REGULATION 19.11.8 CONTINUED Entry point Top end* Click weeks Mid- range Click weeks Low end 4 weeks *If top end, the Panel should identify an entry point between the top end and the maximum sanction (19.11.9) - see Appendix 2 In making the above assessment, the Panel should consider the RFU guidance (Note 2) set out in Appendix 5 to Regulation 19. Significant weight should be given to RFU regulation 19.11.8(a), 19.11.8(h) and 19.11.8(i). Reasons for entry point: This was a minimal contact lead with the head as opposed to a forceful strike. There was no injury caused and there was minimal effect upon the game. ADDITIONAL RELEVANT OFF-FIELD AGGRAVATING FACTORS (REGULATION 19.11.10) Player s status as an offender of the Laws of the game 19.11.10(a) The Player has a clean record. Need for deterrent 19.11.10(b) None applicable Any other off- field aggravating factors 19.11.10(c) Number of additional weeks: 0 weeks
PAGE 5 RELEVANT OFF-FIELD MITIGATING FACTORS (REGULATION 19.11.11) Acknowledgement of guilt 19.11.11(a) The Player pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity. Player s disciplinary record/good character 19.11.11(b) The Player has a clean disciplinary record. Youth & inexperience of player 19.11.11(c) The Player is highly experienced having played over 260 1 st XV games. He plays in the National Leagues. Conduct prior to and at hearing 19.11.11(d) The Player assisted the process and attended before his own club disciplinary panel. Remorse & timing of remorse 19.11.11(e) The Player immediately apologised to the officials and the Player from Leicester Lions. Other off- field mitigation 19.11.11(f) Number of weeks deducted: 2 weeks NOTE: SUBJECT TO REGULATION 19.11.13, A DISCIPLINARY PANEL CANNOT APPLY A GREATER REDUCTION THAN 50% OF THE RELEVANT ENTRY POINT SUSPENSION SANCTION Banned from 03/10/2017 Banned to 16/10/2017 Ban split from Click here to enter a date. Ban split to Click here to enter a date. Free to play 17/10/2017 Total sanction 2 weeks Sending off sufficient Costs 80 Final date for appeal: 04/10/2017 NOTE: UNDER RFU REGULATION 19.5.2, PLAYERS ORDERED OFF ARE PROVISONALLY SUSPENDED PENDING THE HEARING OF THEIR CASE, SUCH SUSPENSION SHOULD BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN SANCTIONING Signature (Chairman) Signature (Secretary) Dr Julian Morris Date 04/10/2017 Rebecca Morgan Date entered to GMS 05/10/2017 Additional information:- The Player will miss the following matches during this period of suspension:- 7 October 2017 v Sedgeley Park 14 October 2017 v Sheffield Tigers