Juan Cruz Mallia suspended for four weeks

The Stade Toulousain wing, Juan Cruz Mallia, has been suspended for four weeks following an independent Disciplinary Hearing arising from his club’s Heineken Champions Cup, Round of 16 1st leg match against Ulster Rugby at Le Stadium.

Mallia was sent off by the referee, Wayne Barnes (England), in the 10th minute of the match for making contact with the Ulster Rugby wing, Ben Moxham, in the air in a dangerous manner in contravention of Law 9.17

Law 9.17 A player must not tackle, charge, pull, push or grasp an opponent whose feet are off the ground

Under World Rugby’s Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 9.17 carries the following sanction entry points - Low End: 4 weeks; Mid-range: 8 weeks; Top end: 12 to 52 weeks.

The independent Disciplinary Committee comprising Sir James Dingemans (England), chair, Becky Essex (England) and Jamie Corsi (Wales), considered video imagery of the incident and heard submissions from Mallia who accepted the red card decision, from the player’s legal representative, Neil Robertson, from the Stade Toulousain president, Didier Lacroix, from the Stade Toulousain Head Coach, Ugo Mola, and from the Stade Toulousain General Manager, Jean-Luc Brumont. Submissions from the EPCR Disciplinary Officer, Liam McTiernan, were also heard.

The committee upheld the red card decision, finding that Mallia had made contact with Moxham in the air in a dangerous manner that warranted a red card. It then determined that the offending was at the mid-range of World Rugby’s sanctions and eight weeks was selected as the appropriate entry point.

Due to the player’s clear disciplinary record and his guilty plea, and as there were no aggravating factors, it was decided to grant the full 50% mitigation and the committee therefore reduced the sanction by four weeks before imposing a four-week suspension.

Mallia is free to play on Monday, 9 May and both he and EPCR have the right to appeal the decision.