No Suspension For Leinster’s Te’o

Leinster centre Ben Te’o appeared today before an independent PRO12 Rugby disciplinary committee, following a citing complaint for an alleged strike to an opponent’s head during the second half of last Friday’s GUINNESS PRO12 match between the Ospreys and Leinster.

The strike was alleged to have occurred when Ben Te’o, while carrying the ball, was tackled by Ospreys out-half Sam Davies and (in the words of the citing commissioner) ‘struck out with a leading forearm’. Davies was injured in the incident and left the pitch.

The disciplinary committee, chaired by John Kirk, sitting with Bill Dunlop and Peter Brown (all Scotland), having listened to representations by and on behalf of the player, and having viewed TV footage of the incident and reviewed the other evidence, concluded that Te’o’s actions had constituted foul play. Accordingly, the disciplinary committee upheld the citing.

But when considering sanction the committee found that the act of foul play had not warranted a red card and therefore imposed no suspension. The committee did, however, warn Te’o as to his future conduct with regard to the use of the forearm in the tackle, noting that this was an increasing and worrying trend in the game.

Law 10.4 (a): Punching or striking. A player must not strike an opponent with the fist or arm, including the elbow, shoulder, head or knee(s).