It’s a miracle when an Australian player gets off without a ban. Daugunu was sent off during the 40-29 victory over Georgia after a charge down gone wrong, collecting Georgian Demur Tapladze in the head with his knee. The incident was yellow carded before being upgraded at half-time, leaving the Australians to battle with 14 men for the start of the second half.
Daugunu faced the independent Disciplinary Committee as he argued that it did not meet the red card threshold. While this was denied, the ruling was changed from a dangerous tackle to a reckless or dangerous act, allowing Daugunu to take a mid-range entry point and a two-match ban pending the completion of ‘Sanction Mitigation’. This will be served at Queensland Premier Rugby level for Wests (very SBW), making him available to face the world champions at Suncorp Stadium.
“The Committee considered the player’s submissions, along with the clips and other available evidence and found that the red card was upheld,” the statement read. “While the red card issued was for Law 9.13 (Dangerous Tackle), the Committee decided that the offence should be 9.11 (Players must not do anything that is reckless or dangerous) as it was an attempted charge down. The Committee considered the appropriate entry point for the offending and decided that the offence warranted the mandatory mid-end entry point for offending involving contact with the head of 6 matches.
“Having considered submissions as regards mitigation, the Committee applied full 50 per cent mitigation to the sanction resulting in a sanction of three matches. An additional match may be removed from the sanction should the player complete the World Rugby Coaching Intervention for Sanction Mitigation (“CISM”) which applies to foul play involving Head Contact.”
To be clear, he’s been sent off in the past so I don’t see how this can apply.
Tonga v Reds
In another sign that the Reds are doing good things to get high level games into the squad. Following is the team to play Tonga in Tonga after a narrow loss to Wales last week. It is also great to see Feleti Kaitu’u the former Force player get a run as he has strong Tongan heritage. The Reds women are playing a curtain raiser.
Friday, 26 July
Teufaiva Sport Stadium, Nuku’alofa
12.30pm AEST
1. Sef Fa’agase – Sunnybank – Shailer Park State High School – Beaudesert Warriors
2. Richie Asiata – Easts – Anglican Church Grammar School
3. Massimo De Lutiis – Easts – The Southport School – Surfers Paradise Dolphins
4. Connor Vest – Souths – Grafton High School – Grafton Junior Rugby Club
5. Ryan Smith (vc) – Brothers – St Patrick’s College, Shorncliffe – Caboolture Snakes
6. Seru Uru – Wests, Ratu Kadavulevu School, Fiji – Namoli Rugby Club, Fiji
7. John Bryant – Souths – St Laurence’s College – Souths
8. Joe Brial – University of Queensland – The Scots College, Sydney – Eastern Suburbs
9. Louis Werchon – Wests – Sunshine Coast Grammar – Maroochydore Swans
10. James O’Connor – Brothers – St Joseph’s Nudgee College – Brothers
11. Mac Grealy – University of Queensland – Downlands College – Souths Toowoomba
12. Dre Pakeho – Brothers – Anglican Church Grammar School
13. Tim Ryan – Brothers – St Patrick’s College, Shorncliffe
14. Lachie Anderson – Eastwood – Oakhill College – Dural Rugby Club
15. Jock Campbell (c) – University of Queensland – The Southport School – Inverell Highlanders
Reserves
16. Feleti Kaitu’u** – GPS – St Joseph’s Nudgee College
17. Matt Gibbon – Bond University – St Joseph’s Nudgee College – Wollongbar Alstonville
18. Jeffery Toomaga-Allen – Norths – Wellington College, NZ
19. Josh Canham – Bond University – Brighton Grammar, Melbourne – Harlequins, Melbourne
20. Taine Roiri – Sunnybank – John Paul College – Sunnybank
21. Will Cartwright – Brothers – St Joseph’s Nudgee College – Brothers
22. Mason Gordon – Wests – Brisbane Boys’ College – Wests
23. Floyd Aubrey – GPS – Marist College Ashgrove – GPS
Olympics Rugby
Sevens Games – Mens
Wednesday July 24
Pool B: Australia v Samoa, 11:30 pm
Pool B: Australia v Kenya, 3:00 am
Pool B: Argentina v Australia, 10:30 pm
Sevens Games – Womens
Monday July 29
Pool B: Australia v South Africa, 12:00 am
Pool B: Australia v Great Britain, 3:30 am
Pool B: Australia v Ireland, 10:30 pm
Schadenfreude: Eddie Jones remains ‘really optimistic’ despite another Japan loss
Schadenfreude is a combination of the German nouns Schaden, meaning “damage” or “harm,” and Freude, meaning “joy.” So it makes sense that schadenfreude means joy over some harm or misfortune suffered by another.
Coach Eddie Jones remains “really optimistic” about the future of a young Japan side despite their series of disappointing defeats to England, Georgia and Italy in their mid-year tests. But Jones is still positive about “the direction” of Japan’s Brave Blossoms.
“A tough start. It’s always tough to start with losses, but I am really optimistic about the direction of the team,” Jones told reporters on Tuesday. “I know everyone is disappointed. I’m disappointed with the results but I’m not disappointed with the direction of the team.
I think we have all heard this before. Rugbypass
South African Rugby and Drugs- Opinion
I was unable to contribute yesterday as I was in transit for work. After reading Both KARL and Nutta’s excellent contributions I was thinking about the South African drug cheating and testing measures. I looked at it from an economic perspective. Currently the rand is worth 8c AUD and the current average monthly salary in South Africa equates to approx. $2,000 AUD per month. The pressure on a young man from a lower socio-economic background to cheat if he doesn’t meet the size metric in South Africa must be huge.
Also before we throw stones we should look at our own backyard at our own sports being NRL and AFL. AFL drug scandal opens door to potential cheating among clubs
