Northern Edition
Select Edition
Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

England back-rower Tom Curry banned after last Saturday's red card

(Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

Back-rower Tom Curry must attend tackle school if he is to feature in another England pool game prior to his team’s likely progress to the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals on the weekend of October 14.

ADVERTISEMENT

The 25-year-old has received a three-game ban that can be reduced to two after the yellow card he received from referee Mathieu Raynal for his head-on-head collision with Argentina’s Juan Cruz Mallia last Saturday in Marseille was upgraded to a red card offence following a TMO bunker review of the footage.

Despite Curry’s third-minute exit, England went on to comfortably win their World Cup opener 27-10 at Stade Velodrome.

Video Spacer

Rugbypass TV

Video Player is loading.
Current Time 0:00
Duration 1:00
Loaded: 16.53%
Stream Type LIVE
Remaining Time 1:00
 
1x
    • Chapters
    • descriptions off, selected
    • captions off, selected
    • en (Main), selected
    Video Spacer

    Rugbypass TV

    Watch rugby on demand, from exclusive shows and documentaries to extended highlights from RWC 2023. Anywhere. Anytime. All for free!

    Join us

    It was the next day when it was confirmed that the forward would appear before a virtual disciplinary hearing judicial committee on Tuesday chaired by Adam Casselden (Australia) and including former players John Langford (Australia) and Jamie Corsi (Wales).

    That hearing has now ended and a statement read: “England’s Tom Curry attended an independent disciplinary committee hearing for an offence contrary to law 9.13 (dangerous tackle) as a result of a review by the foul play review official on September 9.

    Related

    “The player accepted the red card and was suspended for two matches (subject to completion of the coaching intervention programme). The player accepted that foul play occurred and that the offence warranted a red card.

    “The committee noted that the offence carries a mandatory minimum mid-range sanction (six matches).

    ADVERTISEMENT

    “Having considered the mitigating factors, including admission of foul play and correctness of the red card at the first opportunity, an exemplary disciplinary record, apology to the player and good character, the committee reduced the sanction by the maximum mitigation of 50 per cent.

    “The final sanction of three matches is to be applied as follows:

    • England vs Japan, September 17;
    • England vs Chile, September 23;
    • England vs Samoa, October 7 (The player will be free to play in this match subject to successful completion of the coaching intervention programme.

    “The player intends to apply to take part in the World Rugby coaching intervention programme to substitute the final match of the sanction for a coaching intervention aimed at modifying specific techniques and technical issues that contributed to the foul play subject to successful completion.”

    The red card for Curry was England’s third sending-off in four matches for contact with an opposition player’s head. Owen Farrell was given a four-game ban for his August 12 Twickenham collision with Wales’ Taine Basham, while Billy Vunipola was suspended for three games for his August 19 Aviva Stadium collision with Ireland’s Andrew Porter.

    That ban was reduced to two games after Vunipola successfully completed tackle school, freeing him for selection in this weekend’s game against Japan.

    ADVERTISEMENT
    ADVERTISEMENT

    Classic Wallabies vs British & Irish Legends | First Match | Full Match Replay

    Did the Lions loosies get away with murder? And revisiting the Springboks lift | Whistle Watch

    The First Test, Visiting The Great Barrier Reef & Poetry with Pierre | Ep 6: The Ultimate Test

    KOKO Show | July 22nd | Full Throttle with Brisbane Test Review and Melbourne Preview

    New Zealand v South Africa | World Rugby U20 Championship | Extended Highlights

    USA vs England | Men's International | Full Match Replay

    France v Argentina | World Rugby U20 Championship | Extended Highlights

    Lions Share | Episode 4

    Trending on RugbyPass

    Comments

    33 Comments
    P
    PR 681 days ago

    Given the high likelihood of red cards, I think most teams will be missing a few key players by the time we reach the quarters, semis and final.

    N
    NE 681 days ago

    With the exception of the Checkers team who have been protected by WR officials for 3 odd decades.

    s
    sam 681 days ago

    I’m positive that anyone who doesn’t agree won’t be shy in telling me but what I find most infuriating with the high tackle/ reffing debate is the inconsistency.

    If world rugby deemed any head contact an immediate red, I wouldn’t be the happiest. BUT if it was reffed consistently and all the players and fans knew the deal I think it would eventually become part of the game. Same if head contact was fine dependant on force and malice etc.but this inconsistency which has been highlighted this weekend in lots of similar occurrences (curry, kriel, Carreras) with completely different outcomes just causes so much confusion and anger toward the officials, the game and the WRU.

    Just make a good informed decision and just make it consistent

    B
    Bob Marler 682 days ago

    Good

    f
    fl 682 days ago

    As an england fan, i was quite happy to see curry get a red card because i thought it would stop south africans from whinging that referees and world rugby were biased against them. Little did I know it would just make everyone whinge even more. Can't we all just enjoy the game?

    B
    BigMaul 682 days ago

    You’ve just taken a pop at South Africans and then said “can’t we all just enjoy the game”… not a good look for you.

    N
    NE 682 days ago

    Saffers have been world leaders in whining and whinging for nearly 3 decades now despite blatant and embarrassing bias and favoritism from IRB and WR officials. Has a lot to do with the high lGbti ++ make up of their team methinks .......

    B
    Bob Marler 682 days ago

    High tackles can be coached out of the game. There has to be some incentive to do so. And not getting red cards is a pretty good incentive.


    But the inconsistency in the application of the law is a big problem.

    M
    Mark 682 days ago

    It's difficult to comprehend exactly where the rugby authorities imagine they are taking the game in regard to the completely arbitrary and frankly unfit for purpose process that currently masquerades as player safety protocols.

    Virtually every game is now decided by yellow and red cards that are dished out like lucky dip lottery tickets.

    N
    NE 682 days ago

    Unless you play for SA in which case you don't even get a penalty against you.

    A
    AB 682 days ago

    Hopefully not hyperbole, however rugby does seem to have an ability to shoot itself in the foot. So many red cards these days "according to the framework", are arguably rugby incidents and part of the risk we all have to accept when we play(ed) the game. There was no malice in the Curry tackle and, with the player coming down after catching a high ball, very easy to be sympathetic to his positioning. This was the point Victor Matfield made on the Rugby Pod this week. Then we have the inconsistency (e.g.) of the Kriel tackle v Scotland which wasn't even looked at, but arguably warranted sanction. I do believe that intent and common sense judgement need to be taken as opposed to the very programmatic and unsympathetic judgements made now.

    S
    Snash 682 days ago

    Recoil from ball at shoulder height, not their heads, cheeks brushed, correct decision on Kriel clash. If that recoil from heads probably knock both of them out

    M
    Michael Röbbins (academic and writer extraordinair 682 days ago

    A disgrace to a game quickly trying to ruin itself into oblivion. Probably didn’t even deserve a penalty and he gets a red card at, if we believe say Eddie Jones, the only meaningful rugby tourney that only happens twice a decade? And he already missed basically an entire game with it happening so early. Makes one need to puke. Gods out there please alleviate our species’ headlong sprint towards greater idiocy.

    T
    Tim 682 days ago

    Got the hyperbolic machine cranked up to 11? He should've hired Owen Farrell's lawyer. He'd be on Saturdays team sheet

    Load More Comments

    Join free and tell us what you really think!

    Sign up for free
    ADVERTISEMENT

    Latest Features

    Comments on RugbyPass

    TRENDING
    TRENDING New All Blacks locks squeezing captain Barrett out of contention All Blacks locks squeezing captain Barrett