Cape Town - Stormers centre JJ Engelbrecht has received a one-week suspension after pleading guilty to foul play during his side’s 26-23 Super Rugby loss to the Lions at Newlands this past weekend.
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SANZAAR foul play review committee has accepted a guilty plea from Englebrecht of the Stormers for contravening SANZAAR Disciplinary Rule 6.1
The players was issued with a yellow card and a Warning for separate incidents during last Saturday’s match.
Englebrecht was awarded a yellow card for a lifting tackle in the 37th minute, and was subsequently issued a warning by the citing commissioner for an incident involving a dangerous tackle during an attempted clean out, in the 52nd minute.
SANZAAR Disciplinary Rule 6.1 states: "6.1: If a player has received two warnings or a combination of a warning and a yellow card during a match, he shall be treated for disciplinary purposes as if he has been sent off."
Engelbrecht has been suspended from all forms of the game for one week, up to and including June 2, 2018.
However, due to a break for the South African teams in Super Rugby, Engelbrecht will not miss any meaningful matches.
The SANZAAR foul play review committee of Nigel Hampton QC (chairperson), Stefan Terblanche and Stephen Hardy assessed the case.
In his finding, Hampton ruled the following:
"Having conducted a detailed review of all the available evidence, including all camera angles and additional evidence for each incident, including from the player and submissions from his legal representative, Adrian Montzinger, the foul play review committee found the player should be the subject of further sanction for his persistent foul play offending in one match.
"With respect to sanction the foul play review committee deemed the nature of the persistent offending, together with the closeness together of the two incidents, merited an entry point of two weeks suspension. However, taking into account mitigating factors including the Players excellent Judicial record and his admission of responsibility at the first available opportunity, the foul play review committee reduced the suspension to one week.
"The player is therefore suspended for one week, up to and including June 2, 2018.”
All SANZAAR disciplinary matters are in the first instance referred to the foul play review committee to provide the option of expediting the judicial process.
For a matter to be dispensed with at this hearing, the person appearing must plead guilty and accept the penalty offered by the foul play review committee.
