Matthew Rea Suspended For Four Weeks

A disciplinary committee met in Edinburgh to consider the red card decision against Ulster flanker Matthew Rea which occurred at the start of the second half during last Friday’s GUINNESS PRO14 interprovincial derby against Connacht.

Rea was shown a red card by referee Andrew Brace under law 9.17 – a player must not tackle, charge, pull, push or grasp an opponent whose feet are off the ground.

The incident occurred in the 41st minute of the match at Kingspan Stadium when the referee deemed the player to have committed an act of foul play against Connacht’s Cian Kelleher. Rea accepted that he had committed an act of foul play but did not accept that it warranted a red card.

The disciplinary committee, comprising of Pamela Woodman (Chair), Kathrine Mackie and Ian Douglas (all Scotland), concluded that the player had committed an act of foul play, that that act of foul play warranted a red card and so the referee’s decision to issue the red card was not wrong.

Rea had accepted that his opponent’s head had hit the ground as a consequence of the incident. In determining entry point, the committee took into account the direction from World Rugby that ‘any act of foul play which results in contact with the head shall result in at least a mid-range sanction’ and concluded that a mid-range entry point (of eight weeks) was appropriate.

The committee took into account that there were no aggravating factors, the player’s clean disciplinary record and other mitigating factors and applied full mitigation of 50%, meaning that Rea is free to play on Monday, November 5. He was reminded of his right to appeal.

For a full list of sanctions, click here.