Peato Mauvaka handed three match ban following Ben White head collision
Yesterday at 12:24 PM
IT won’t come as much consolation to the Scotland team or their supporters that an independent Disciplinary Committee has ruled that French hooker Peato Mauvaka did indeed commit a red-card offence when he launched a flying head-butt at the grounded Ben White during his team’s Six Nations-clinching win over Scotland in Paris on Saturday night.
A three match suspension has been imposed after Mauvaka was cited post-match for an act of foul play contrary to Law 9.12 and appeared before the Disciplinary Committee on Thursday morning via video link.
The incident in question happened in the 21st minute of Saturday’s game. Referee Matthew Carley reviewed the incident at the time, from several angles on the big screen in the stadium, before sending the player to the sin-bin and referring the case to Ian Tempest, the in-match foul play review officer, who had the authority to upgrade the sanction to a 20-minute red-card (meaning Mauvaka would not be allowed back on the pitch but France would be able to bring another player on in his place 20 minutes later). In the event, Tempest decided a 10-minute spell on the naughty step for the culprit was sufficient punishment.
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France went on to win the game 35-16 and Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend stated afterwards that the decision not to issue Mauvaka with a straight red-card was incidental to his team’s loss. But he did also express exasperation that such a clear act of dangerous play which occured well away from the ball seems to have been treated by the match officials as a mere miscalculation. In reality, playing an hour of the match against 14-men would have been a big boost to Scotland’s chances.
Having upheld the citing, the Independent Disciplinary Committee – chaired by Jennifer Donovan (Ireland), joined by former international players John Langford (Australia) and Leon Lloyd (England) – applied World Rugby's sanctioning provisions, determining that the low-range entry point of six weeks/matches was appropriate. In light of the player accepting he committed an act of foul play as well as other mitigating factors, which included his remorse, good conduct during the process, and previous clean record, the Independent Disciplinary Committee have applied the full 50 percent reduction in its sanction, thus reducing the final sanction to three weeks/matches, from the entry point of six weeks.
The suspension will cover the following matches;
- March 23rd, 2025 –Bordeaux Bègles vs Toulouse (Top 14)
- March 29th, 2025 – Toulouse vs Pau (Top 14)
- April 6th, 2025 – Toulouse vs Sale Sharks (Champions Cup, Round of 16)
The outcome of any hearings, as well as a full written decision, will be hosted within the discipline section of the Six Nations Rugby website.
The post Peato Mauvaka handed three match ban following Ben White head collision appeared first on Scottish Rugby News from The Offside Line.
