Disciplinary Team Update – February 2025

We’d like to share with you some insights from recent cases that have come before the Panel to hopefully help individuals and Clubs if they ever have to appear before them.

If you are using video – and in particular Veo which is in common usage around the CB – then please send the link to the actual file and not a screenshot of it using a mobile etc.

They can be useful for initial statements but for actual review, the quality is usually inadequate.

Don’t forget that Match Officials will note if a video was recorded on their Red Card Report and that there is a box for it on the Citing form.

If a citing has been made the first decision for the Panel is to decide, from the evidence presented by the citing Club, whether ‘Foul Play’ has occurred and then if it meets the Red Card threshold, i.e. would the Match Official have issued a Red Card had they seen it.   It is assumed that the Match Official didn’t see the incident in the first instance otherwise a Red Card would have already been issued.

If it meets that threshold then the citing will proceed on the same basis as if a Red Card had been issued and the cited player managed or sanctioned in accordance with Regulation 19 requirements; please reference to Appendix 2 for the potential outcomes.

In the instance of ‘Foul Play’ being decided by the Panel but the wrong individual being identified in the citing, then there is an expectation that Club will immediately identify the actual person who committed the offence.  The case against the wrongly identified player will be closed as not guilty.

Failure to identify the correct accused individual will leave the Club at conflict with the requirements of Regulation 19 to act in ‘good faith’, Reg. 19.2.4, and liable to a 5.12 citing.

None of the above undermines an individual’s or Club’s right to plead not guilty should they wish to and can demonstrate that. The same rules would apply in such instances as apply in regular cases that come before the Panel including the potential impact on available mitigation should the case be found proven.

Clubs are reminded that they are obliged to notify the NLD Disciplinary Secretary, where practicable, by 9am of the second day after a Red Card has been issued, e.g. by Monday 09:00 for ones issued on a Saturday. See Regulation 19.4.3.

It should be noted that some CBs choose to fine clubs that do not com[ply with this timeframe.  Although the NLD currently has no plans to do so, it can be considered when cases are heard, particularly if a Club is found to continue to play someone who they know to have received a Red Card and who is therefore automatically suspending from playing.

Please note that all matters are manged within RFU Regulation 19 of the RFU and offences are listed in Appendix 2.

More information relating to discipline administration and reporting of red cards can be found on the Discipline Process and Judgements page of this site.

It should be noted that if an individual refuses to provide their personal details to the Match Official, full name etc., then this will be considered dissent and be considered as an aggravating feature when the potential sanction is decided. This will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.