SANZAR Judiciary - Overhaul

[MrTimms]

Looks like the whole discipline/judiciary system is getting an overhaul

SANZAR TO TRIAL NEW DISCIPLINARY RULES DURING SUPER RUGBY 2012​

SANZAR is to trial new disciplinary rules during the 2012 Super Rugby competition, CEO Greg Peters announced on Thursday.

The changes follow a cross-country Working Group meeting with representatives across all areas of the game held in September last year, which conducted a ‘clean sheet’ review of the SANZAR judicial process.

The objectives of the review were to provide a system that is fair, consistent and simple with fewer full hearings and consequently reduced costs.

“SANZAR has long held the view that the disciplinary process could be enhanced to provide for a more consistent and simplified outcome,” said Peters.

“We believe that these changes are an important step in the right direction”.

Key Changes:

1. On-field Referee Referral to Citing Commissioner

· Instances where a referee thinks an act of foul play has occurred but is not sure if a red card is warranted, or is unsure of the identity of a player​

· Where a player makes a complaint to a referee who did not see an incident​

· Can be in addition to a yellow card or penalty​

· Referred to the Citing Commissioner for review​

2. Citing Commissioner issues an “Off-Field Yellow Card”

· Instances where a Citing Commissioner observes a serious act of foul play that is close to but not quite a red card​

· The Off-field yellow card is logged on the player’s disciplinary record in the same manner as an On-Field yellow card​

3. Duty Judicial Officer

· Performs an initial assessment of citings, red cards or three yellow cards​

· Duty Judicial Officer may hold a brief teleconference with the player and/or his representative​

· Determines whether or not to offer the player a preliminary indication of penalty​

· May refer to a full judicial hearing​

· The player must accept he committed an act of foul play to be offered an indication of penalty​

· If player does not accept the indication of penalty the matter will be referred to full hearing​

4. Judicial Hearings

· Where a full judicial hearing is required it will be held by videoconference or teleconference with ‘in-person’ hearings only taking place in exceptional circumstances​

· Other processes for the hearing will be the same as previously​

5. Appeals

· SANZAR has a right of appeal the outcome of a judicial hearing on the following grounds: ​

- Where there is substantial unfairness, or the penalty imposed on a player is clearly excessive or inadequate​

- Where there has been a fundamental error by the Judicial Officer in reaching his decision​

· Normal rights of Appeal apply for players​

​

The SANZAR trial has been approved by the International Rugby Board (IRB) and will form an important part of the IRB’s own full review of Regulation 17 that governs the disciplinary process internationally.

The new system will come into operation when the Super Rugby tournament kicks off on February 24.

Hopefully a good move, I like the Off-Field Yellow Card and the Duty Judicial officer. The on field referral to the commissioner is also a great move forward. Hopefully make the whole thing more fair.

 

[GaffaCHinO]

Will this mean the citing commision will actually veiw all cames with a fine tooth comb and charge players in the following days after the game??

 

[fatprop]

Until they copy the NRL, have detailed standards; with consistent documented penalties for those standards across the three judiciaries, it will be a shit fight.

 

[Hawko]

Two things concern me:

1. Can a team still refer an incident to a citing commissioner? If not, I don't like the new system.
2. If the full hearings conducted by video conference include a judicial officer from each of the three countries making the determination collectively then I would applaud. That may help get consistent penalties, unlike last year.

I hope Sanzar uses its right to appeal bad decisions. There were some very dodgy decisions on dangerous play last year.

 

[Tim&Bingo]

Is this a live time option for a referral of an incident that the Ref uses to confirm a Yellow, Upgrade to a Red, and does the off=field judge have
the right to intervene in live time as well? Player appeals during a game as well? Sorry to sound so dim, just don't understand how and when this is implemented during a match?

 

[luikang]

Just mean the ref can now request a citing of a player. Last year that was the aggrieved teams job or the third official

 

[Lior]

I think we are going to see a trend of the weak referees failing to yellow or red card players with this new report system. When it's convenient for them not to they can use the excuse "well, it's a penalty, but I'm not sure how high it got or I'm not sure if it was a complete spear tackle".

I don't like the look of it, I think if a player is automatically yellow carded for foul play he then faces a review from the citing commissioner. And as someone alluded to earlier the opposition team can refer an incident.

 

[Bardon]

Is this a live time option for a referral of an incident that the Ref uses to confirm a Yellow, Upgrade to a Red, and does the off=field judge have
the right to intervene in live time as well? Player appeals during a game as well? Sorry to sound so dim, just don't understand how and when this is implemented during a match?

From reading it, it seems player reports the incident to the ref, I would imagine via the captain or we'd have a soccer style free for all with players surrounding refs. Then ref would report to the citing commissioner probably similar to procedure for contacting the TMO.

 

[Bardon]

I think we are going to see a trend of the weak referees failing to yellow or red card players with this new report system. When it's convenient for them not to they can use the excuse "well, it's a penalty, but I'm not sure how high it got or I'm not sure if it was a complete spear tackle".

If it was me in charge I'd use the new system to identify the weak refs. Those with a very low onfield yellow card count issued by themselves but a high off-field yellow card count should be given a warning and if there's no improvement should be removed from the super rugby panel until they do improve.