Keith Earls, has been suspended for two weeks following an independent Disciplinary Hearing in London today arising from the Champions Cup win over Glasgow Warriors on Saturday.
Earls was sent off by referee, Jérôme Garcès (France), for a dangerous tackle on the Glasgow Warriors hooker Fraser Brown in the 19th minute of the match at Thomond Park in contravention of Law 10.4 (j).
Law 10.4 (j) Dangerous tackling
Under World Rugby's Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 10.4 (j), Lifting a player from the ground and either dropping or driving that player's head and/or upper body into the ground while the player's feet are off the ground, carries the following sanction entry points - Low End: 4 weeks; Mid-Range: 8 weeks; Top End: 12 to 52 weeks.
An independent Disciplinary Committee consisting of Mike Hamlin (England), Chairman, Roddy Dunlop QC (Scotland) and Andrea Caranci (Italy) heard evidence and submissions from Earls, who pleaded guilty to the offence, from Munster Rugby Team Manager, Niall O'Donovan, from Munster Rugby's legal representative, Derek Hegarty, and from the EPCR Disciplinary Officer, Liam McTiernan.
In upholding the red card decision, the Committee found that the offence was at the low end of World Rugby's sanctions and selected four weeks as the appropriate entry point.
As there were no aggravating factors, the Committee then reduced the sanction by a maximum of two weeks due to Earls' timely guilty plea, expression of remorse and clean disciplinary record before imposing a suspension of two weeks.
Earls will be free to play on Monday, 7 November. Both the player and EPCR have the right to appeal the decision.
Yeah, he was really remorseful...
If only the panel could reconvene now...
"It was a massive game, it meant a lot to us,” says Earls. “It was a tough week in general, from burying your head coach and then an hour later doing a captain’s run. It’s just not right.
“I suppose the only thing I do apologise for – I don’t apologise for anything else - is kicking the bottles on the side of the pitch. I wouldn’t like to see a young lad doing that at underage or some young lad at Thomond Park.
“I suppose I’ve been waiting to be interviewed to apologise for that.
“I don’t apologise for the rest of it.
“I spoke to Fraser Brown on the phone and I felt he could have done a bit more. Yes, I did lift his leg but I felt he could have done a bit more to save the impact. The way he went, I thought he was going for it a small bit, to be honest with you. I spoke to him and he said he was just trying to protect himself.
“I felt I was cheated really going off the pitch; they denied me an opportunity to put in a performance for my head coach and the Munster supporters, so I kind of lost it a bit coming off the pitch.”
I feel a bit naive for having thought (when he appeared to have patched it up with Brown/Hogg) maybe he wasn't such a prick afterall, despite clearly being a prick.
In summary, he is a prick. Deep down, everybody knows this.
Sure, at least he's honest... well... in part... when it suits him to be.
It would blow for him if he ever ends back up back in front of another disciplinary board and they remembered this whilst they are shaving time off for wearing a suit and not eating the biscuits.
I would suggest you all boo him when he shows up at your ground, but honestly, how could you tell.
Next disciplinary hearing he is at , they will have this and use it
No way will they want to be shown that the process is a joke because of a scumbag like Earls
Brown could have done more to stop the impact, what a rat bastard
Sure, at least he's honest... well... in part... when it suits him to be.
It would blow for him if he ever ends back up back in front of another disciplinary board and they remembered this whilst they are shaving time off for wearing a suit and not eating the biscuits.
I would suggest you all boo him when he shows up at your ground, but honestly, how could you tell.
We all love a good boo so we do
Seriously though, Glasgow have three more games against munster this season, two at home. They will not be the most welcoming of atmospheres.
Forgot about all the precious flowers on the SMB for a minute there.
Weeg not doing too bad against a much stronger team. Two errors in quick succession has put them under a bit of pressure though. Defence is holding, superb tackle from Nick Grigg. Serious power for a small guy.
hugh_woatmeigh wrote:Forgot about all the precious flowers on the SMB for a minute there.
Weeg not doing too bad against a much stronger team. Two errors in quick succession has put them under a bit of pressure though. Defence is holding, superb tackle from Nick Grigg. Serious power for a small guy.
Haha, aye mate, myself, Baz, and HP are definitely the over dramatic sceaming queens on this board.
hugh_woatmeigh wrote:Forgot about all the precious flowers on the SMB for a minute there.
Weeg not doing too bad against a much stronger team. Two errors in quick succession has put them under a bit of pressure though. Defence is holding, superb tackle from Nick Grigg. Serious power for a small guy.
Haha, aye mate, myself, Baz, and HP are definitely the over dramatic sceaming queens on this board.
Baz definitely is.
Onto the game...... I've a bottle of Jura here that's about to get tanned. Think I've earned it after sitting through that shite.
hugh_woatmeigh wrote:Forgot about all the precious flowers on the SMB for a minute there.
Weeg not doing too bad against a much stronger team. Two errors in quick succession has put them under a bit of pressure though. Defence is holding, superb tackle from Nick Grigg. Serious power for a small guy.
Haha, aye mate, myself, Baz, and HP are definitely the over dramatic sceaming queens on this board.
Baz definitely is.
Onto the game...... I've a bottle of Jura here that's about to get tanned. Think I've earned it after sitting through that shite.
