Eight-week ban: Delon Armitage
Toulon full-back Delon Armitage has been handed an eight-week ban after being cited for a tip tackle in last weekend's Heineken Cup game against Montpellier.
Armitage pleaded not guilty to a dangerous tackle on Montpellier full-back Pierre Bérard during the first half of the match at Stade Yves du Manoir for which he was handed a yellow card by referee Alain Rolland.
But at Thursday's disciplinary hearing in Dublin, the judicial officer found that Armitage had committed an intentional tip tackle. The suspension means the 29-year-old cannot play again until 18 March, three weeks before Toulon's Heineken Cup quarter-final against Leicester.
"[The judicial officer] determined that the act was in the mid-range of the IRB's sanctioning regime (eight weeks) and in line with the IRB's memorandum on deterring tip tackles, and taking into account the player's previous disciplinary record, he added a further two weeks," read ad ERC statement.
"Due to Armitage's remorse and his good conduct during the hearing, the judicial officer then deducted two weeks before imposing a suspension of eight weeks."
Comments
LastMan says...
"Due to Armitage's remorse and his good conduct during the hearing..."
He pleaded guilty!! What remorse? And " good conduct during the hearing..." So he didn't put his feet up on the desk or wear runners and jeans! Some day somebody is going to be 5 minutes late and they'll get another week for it!!
It was a Tip Tackle, which is banned for good reason. He's a recidivist and his actions are what count. I doubt this will be his last ban of the season.
Posted 11:15 25th January 2013
markpat says...
He also didn't admit to it and pleaded not guilty, despite the obvious nature of the tackle.
Not sure where the remorse came from that got 2 weeks knocked off.
Posted 08:38 25th January 2013
welshmac says...
Ridiculous. There are plenty of good tackles where the tackled player will hit the ground upper body first, but under the law, they will be yellow carded. Law 10.4(j) reads: Lifting a player from the ground and dropping or driving that player into the ground whilst that player¿s feet are still off the ground such that the player¿s head and/or upper body come into contact with the ground is dangerous play.
Knocking a player 'off his feet' now means that you need then catch him and lower him gently to the ground. I think the law needs to be revised and quickly.
Posted 08:25 25th January 2013
ste490 says...
Although I suppose he does have a dodgy diciplinary record so that may have swayed the decision slightly.
Posted 07:39 25th January 2013
DBRowan says...
According to this panel, a tip tackle is 8 times worse than kicking people from behind nowhere near the play (O'Gara got one week) and just as bad as gouging (Burger got 8 weeks I think in 2009)? All three broke the laws, all three deserve bans, but come on! The inconsistency is utterly embarrassing
Posted 00:24 25th January 2013
jappers1983 says...
If it were the RFU, Armitage would have been let off because Rudi Wulf was next to him.
Posted 00:04 25th January 2013
jontheref says...
I have to agree, the inconsistencies with the bans are ludicrous.
Posted 23:06 24th January 2013
lawynd says...
You mean O'Gara, right?
Posted 22:38 24th January 2013
carpelone says...
Bans' length is becoming a lottery.
Very harsh.
Posted 22:13 24th January 2013
ste490 says...
It's a shame he's not due to play in the 6 Nations. Then he would have probably only got a week or 2 like some others I could mention.
Posted 20:49 24th January 2013