The Rugby Tribunal System is a joke

[RugbyReg]

CITING CHARGES DISMISSED AGAINST ENGLAND LOCK DAVE ATTWOOD

Foul play charges brought against England lock Dave Attwood following last night’s 28-all draw with the Australian Barbarians in Perth have been dismissed today on procedural grounds.

England team management successfully argued the hearing of two alleged stamping incidents involving Attwood could not proceed because the Citing Commissioner, as an Australian, was not an independent authority.

Attwood was charged to appear before Judicial Officer Paul Tully by Citing Commissioner Scott Nowland over two incidents in the 34th and 50th minutes of the match at ME Bank Stadium.

Now I have no idea what happened on the field and whether he was guilty or not, but this is a fucking joke. What a reason to dismiss charges! SANZAR's process is inconsistent and ineffective, and now Australia have the audacity to have an Australian sitting on the judiciary. I mean come on.

I can't believe (1) England can get away with this (2) that they didn't know this before the game and (3) we can't formalise some sort of procedure involving games played in Australia.

 

[MrTimms]

That is bullshit. 'nuff said.

 

[Moses]

Isn't there a 48 hours citing window? Can't we just give the footage to a NZ / RSA citing commissioner and see if they want to cite him?

Or would double-jeopardy apply!!

 

[Newb]

shockingly incompetent. but really, we've been saying that about the judicials so often that to write "shockingly" is becoming a misuse of the word.

 

[stoff]

First looked at this thread and agreed wholeheartedly, however after having had a look a the regulation (http://www.irb.com/mm/document/lawsregs/0/regulation17090730_8711.pdf), England were actually well within their rights to do this. Seems the biggest issue was the ARU didn't get their shit together with the appointment of a neutral citing commissioner before the match. England had to agree to have an Aussie do the job, which apparently they didn't.

 

[Scarfman]

Looks like they fixed exactly nothing with the new procedures. Full credit to England for making us look like fuckwits.

 

[MrMouse]

Haha classic! I'm in favour of Moses' double jeopardy system. I find this more amusing and typical than shocking, really.

 

[daz]

Gents, I was at the game in a front row seat and Mitch Chapman walked right past me on the way to the rooms for treatment. He had claret all over the side of his head and a scalp that looked like it had been gouged with a cheese grater.

Whether due process was followed is irrelevant. The Poms can argue about neutrality and independant commissioners til the cows come home, but the fact is that Chappie had his head torn open, and he didn't do it to himself. Why would the Poms not want to see the right thing done here? Next time they talk about the spirit of the game I'll vomit...

That said, someone at ARU HQ needs a fucking slap.

 

[Moses]

Doesn't look too bad...

 

[DPK]

Looks like he got rucked... 0.o?

 

[Grandmaster Flash]

Doesn't look too bad...

Just a little nick that required 17 stitches.

 

[Tiger]

To be honest, I think this is fair enough. ARU dropped the ball in not getting England's consent to an Australian citing commissioner. Imagine if the Wallabies were on a tour of England and one of our blokes did something naughty during a midweek game and ended up getting suspended from the rest of the games on tour by an English rugby official. We'd be up in arms about the potential bias.

I think it's wrong that a guy who stomps someone can get away without having to answer for it, but these commissions have rules that need to be followed. Is it a technical excuse? Maybe. But the bottom line is the ARU didn't do what was required and the England team rightfully pointed that out.

 

[Moses]

Just a little nick that required 17 stitches.

I don't like the Poms having the upper hand in thuggery, Chapman's a bit of a pussy but once you put on the enforcer number 4 jersey he's fair game. Is Duncan McRae still around? Otherwise it's time to call up Adam Byrnes for the second Baabaas match

 

[DPK]

I don't like the Poms having the upper hand in thuggery, Chapman's a bit of a pussy but once you put on the enforcer number 4 jersey he's fair game. Is Duncan McRae still around? Otherwise it's time to call up Adam Byrnes for the second Baabaas match

Yep, and lets send him a couple of different coloured headgear (for confusing refs; see round 2010 S14 round one)

 

[#1 Tah]

t's time to call up Adam Byrnes for the second Baabaas match

Ahem. Kane Douglas?

anyone?

I do think that some one at the ARU should get a slap for this. (sorry daz)

 

[DPK]

Ahem. Kane Douglas?

anyone?

I do think that some one at the ARU should get a slap for this. (sorry daz)

Take a cough drop and then explain that a bit further...

 

[daz]

I do think that some one at the ARU should get a slap for this. (sorry daz)

Solidarity, brother.

 

[#1 Tah]

Take a cough drop and then explain that a bit further...

Sorry fixed.

 

[Brumby Jack]

England winger Mark Cueto will front a disciplinary hearing in Sydney on Monday having been cited over a first half incident in the Bundaberg Red Rugby Series Test against the Qantas Wallabies at Subiaco Oval in Perth tonight.

Citing Commissioner Andrew Prior from South Africa has charged Cueto with a dangerous tackle under Law 10.4 (e) on Australian centre Berrick Barnes in the fifth minute of the Cook Cup clash, won 27-17 by the Wallabies.

Judicial Officer Peter Hobbs of New Zealand will conduct the hearing at ARU offices on Monday morning from 9am.

Good to see they've sorted out the citing business with a SA commissioner and a Kiwi involved in the hearing so the Poms can't get out of this one.