Discipline Process and Judgements

Red cards which are issued in matches will be reported to the Disciplinary Committee and judgements from Disciplinary Panel Hearings will be posted here.

There are several important requirements in the RFU regulations, principally Regulation 19, the purpose of which are to optimise the discipline process and ensure that players are not prevented from returning to play by the process when otherwise their sanction for an offence would allow them to play again.

Timely reporting of red cards by clubs, schools and officials reduces the risk that the process is not concluded until after what would be the return to play date, which would result in a player’s suspension being extended unnecessarily.

Please ensure that your club/school has appropriate processes in place to ensure you report all red cards in a timely manner.

Reporting of Red Cards

Referees

Please notify the NLD Disciplinary Secretary by emailing the completed Red Card Report Form or Match Official Abuse Form to the Disciplinary Secretary as soon as possible, and no more than 48 hours after any sending off or referee abuse occurring.

Clubs

Under regulation 19.4.3 a club MUST report each red card issued to one of their players to the CB Disciplinary Secretary Andy Statham ([email protected] ).

For Age Grade games Reg 19 Appendix 6 clause 7.2 requires reporting of red cards to the CB Age Grade Disciplinary Secretary (CBAGDS) Chris Johnson ([email protected] )

The report must be received by no later than 9am on the second day following the match for adult games, or within 48 hours of the match for Age Grade games, and must include:

• • The player’s name
  • The player’s Date of Birth
  • The player’s RFU ID
  • The name of the referee

This is in addition to the requirement for the referee to report the red card.  Clubs and schools must also do so.

Adult Return to Play

An adult player who has received a red card cannot play again until the disciplinary process is complete and a CB or RFU hearing has determined the extent of any sanction, including suspension from playing. The Judgment published by the CB or RFU discipline panel will include an agreed return to play date.

Age Grade Return to Play

Under Regulation 19 Appendix 6 clauses 7.3 and 7.4 for Age Grade Players, where the club / school carries out the disciplinary process internally or with the support of the CB, the club/school must report their findings to the CBAGDS within 48 hours of the hearing. The player cannot return to play until the club have provided their completed judgment form to the CBAGDS (Chris Johnson) and have received approval from the CBAGDS of the sanction imposed, even where the imposed sanction would otherwise permit an immediate return to play.

The following administrative fees shall apply:

• Disciplinary hearings (in person and papers) £50
• Citings £125
• Appeals £125

2025-26 judgements are published here:

Judgment Nottingham Moderns Sam Burkey

Long judgment Moderns 5-12 Final

Judgement Market Rasen & Louth Thomas Alldridge

Judgment Long Eaton Shaun Darnell

Judgment Ilkeston Joel Naylor

Judgment Tupton William Eyre

Judgment Kieran Lang – Ilkeston

Judgment West Bridgford Robert Bell

Judgment Melbourne Leighton Norton

West Bridgford_Jack Daley_Short Judgment

Long judgment Mansfield 5-12 PDF

Citing judgment Melbourne Matt Suddaby

Judgment Market Rasen & Louth George Erasmus

Judgment Melbourne Shane Whitehurst

Melbourne_Archie Turton_2YC Judgment

Citing Judgment Bourne Jack Berry

Judgment Bourne Harry Thorburn

Nottingham Uni Seb Poyser

Matlock_Harvey Spibey_Judgment

Matlock_Samuel Cunningham

Judgment Keyworth Harry Brooke

Judgment Glossop Gregg Bonsar

Judgment Glossop & Leigh 5-12 PDF

Paviors Emily Bexon

Grimsby Daniel Thain

Grimsby 5-12

Bourne Jason Rushton

Ashfield Nicholas Bates

Scunthorpe Guy Mychajluk

Horncastle Todd

Spalding_Luke Turner

West Bridgford McMenamin

Ashfield_Jake Manning

Lincoln Cowe

Notts Trent Uni Charlie Bedford

Castle Donington_James Muggleton

Ilkeston Wade

Ilkeston Foulkes

Lincoln White

Melbourne Cole

East Leake Thompson

Sleaford Scott(Rescinded)

Stamford Judgement Ed Cox V2

Ashbourne_Jamie Edwards

Ashbourne_Josh Bailey

Belper_Liam Taylor

Boston_Alex Hough

Bourne & Lincoln Judgment II

Bourne & Lincoln Judgment

Bourne_Joshua Lynch

Derby_Harry Cook

Dronfield_Reika Mahmid

Ilkeston_Joshua Horsley

Tupton Jamie Barnett

Matlock_James Thraves

Mellish_Bradley Chambers

Mellish_Sam Harris

Stamford College Old Boys_Oliver Sherwin

Worksop_Bryce Egerton

Belper_Liam Taylor

Long Eaton_Zulekah Hattersley

Meden Vale_Joseph Hodgkinson

Nottingham University_Bailey Wright

Notts Trent Uni_ Zac Jones

Stamford_Edward Cox

Uni of Lincoln_Polly Fowler

Mellish_Thomas Jones

Derby_Harry Cook

Cleethorpes_Luke Thornton

Mansfield_Joseph Moore_Short Judgment

Meden Vale_Curtis Williams_NOT PROVEN

Scunthorpe Sergio Abreu

Sleaford_Adam Loveday

Spalding_Jordan Templar

University of Lincoln-Harris Paterson

Paviors_Daniel Wisdom

Uni of Lincoln_Polly Fowler

Worksop_Bryce Egerton

• The NLD CB Disciplinary Committee has powers, devolved from the RFU, to deal with matters at level 5 and below, which result from sendings off, citings, reports of abuse of match officials and reports of actions which are not in the best interests of the game and which bring the game into disrepute.
• The Chair of Discipline has the authority to lead the Discipline Committee on all matters relating to discipline within the CB and reports to the NLD board and the RFU Head of Discipline.
• All members of the NLD Discipline committee are appointed by the NLD board and must have and maintain current RFU Discipline accreditation. A member serves on the committee for fixed terms of 4 years. There is no restriction on the number of terms served.
• NLD Discipline panels are selected from accredited members of the Discipline Committee by the Chair of Discipline with advice from the CB Discipline Secretary.
• A player sent off is not permitted to play again until their case has been heard by a NLD CB Disciplinary panel. The hearing can be either in person or on papers in appropriate cases (for example, such as two yellow cards).
• Hearings will be held as soon as is practicable after the matter arising, normally by the Thursday following the incident. The venue will be notified at the time the hearing date and time is confirmed.
• Referees must ensure that the sending off report is delivered by email to the NLD Discipline Secretary within 48 hours of the match finishing. It will then be delivered to the club.
• Clubs must ensure that they hold a club discipline hearing and provide the decision to the NLD Discipline Secretary prior to the CB hearing.
• Clubs are responsible for paying any and all costs charged against any person who appears in front of a panel arising from an incident in which that person represented the club in any capacity, such fees to be determined by the CB. Costs will be invoiced by NLD RFU and must be paid within 14 days of invoice.
• Players and clubs have the right to appeal decisions of an NLD panel by following the procedure set out in the current RFU rules and regulations.