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Waratahs prop escapes ban as Richard Kahui awaits SANZAAR judiciary hearing
By Alex McLeod
Western Force star Richard Kahui will learn his fate on Tuesday evening when he faces a SANAZAAR judicial committee after receiving a red card last weekend.
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Kahui was sent off during the Force’s 61-10 Super Rugby Pacific to the Highlanders at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin on Friday after he clashed heads with Mitch Hunt while attempting to make a tackle late in the match.
The 2011 World Cup-winning former All Black will now front a judicial committee as he awaits a potential ban after it was deemed that he contravened Law 9:13, which stipulates that players must not tackle an opponent early, late or dangerously.
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Dangerous tackles includes, but is not limited to, tackling or attempting to tackle an opponent above the line of the shoulders, even if the tackle starts below the line of the shoulders.
If banned, Kahui may miss the remainder of the Super Rugby Pacific season. With only has two rounds left to play in its regular season, their latest defeat means it is unlikely the Force will qualify for the quarter-finals ahead of the Highlanders.
A suspension would also deny Kahui the chance to face his former side, the Chiefs, at FMG Stadium Waikato in Hamilton this weekend.
Elsewhere, former Wallabies prop Paddy Ryan has escaped with a warning from SANZAAR after he was sent off in his first match back for the Waratahs since 2018.
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Returning from Japan following the completion of the League One regular season, Ryan was red carded late in his side’s 22-18 loss to the Hurricanes at Leichardt Oval in Sydney after his shoulder connected with the head of Jordie Barrett in a tackle.
However, while SANZAAR judicial committee said that the infringement was close to breaching the red card threshold, it did not warrant a send off due to a range of mitigating factors.
“With respect to sanction the Foul Play Review Committee deemed the act of foul play merited a warning as it was close to, but did not breach the red card threshold,” SANZAAR said in a statement.
“The Foul Play Review Committee deemed that the significant mitigating factors, including the ball carrier significantly dropping in height, rotation, and additional players being involved within the tackle, mitigated the sanction to a warning.”
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“The player is therefore free to resume playing.”
As such, Ryan – who played three tests for the Wallabies between 2012 and 2014, and was part of the 2014 Super Rugby title-winning Waratahs squad – will be free for selection against the Highlanders in Dunedin on Sunday.
