Cheetahs player banned for three weeks

Justin Basson of Toyota Cheetahs faced a Disciplinary Hearing via a video conference and has been banned for charging.

A Disciplinary Panel convened in Dublin to consider the red-card decision against the player resulting from the Round 14 fixture against Zebre Rugby Club on January 26, 2019.

The player was shown a red card by referee Ben Whitehouse under Law 9.20 – Dangerous play in a ruck or maul, a) A player must not charge into a ruck of maul. Charging includes any contact made without binding onto another player in the ruck or maul, b) A player must not make contact with an opponent above the line of the shoulders.

The incident occurred in the 72nd minute of the Guinness PRO14 Round 14 fixture at the Toyota Stadium (Bloemfontein) when referee Ben Whitehouse deemed the player to have committed an act of foul play against an opponent (No 14, Paula Balekana).

The Disciplinary Panel, comprising David Martin (Chair), Jennifer Donovan and David Hurley (all Ireland) accepted the player’s admission that there was an act of foul play with contact to the head / neck area which carries a mid-range entry point (six weeks).

A ban of six weeks was reduced due to mitigating circumstances, the player’s acceptance of the red card, his previous clean record and his behaviour throughout the hearing.

As a result the Basson will be banned for a period of three weeks and can return to play from midnight on Sunday, February 24, 2019.