Errant Eroni Sau gets five-week ban

Planet Rugby

Fiji wing Eroni Sau, sent off after 25 minutes against Wales last Sunday for a swinging arm to the head of centre Johnny Williams, has been banned for five weeks by a disciplinary committee.

Referee Nic Berry had initially considered the offence only worthy of a yellow card, but the match TMO stepped in and asked Berry to consider that the swinging arm had not been an initial part of the contact, thus confirming it pre-meditated.

Sau argued at the time that he had been looking to push Williams into touch and that the Welsh player had dropped his head.

Danger

Sau appeared before an independent disciplinary committee via video link and accepted that he had made direct contact to the head of his opponent, but denied that he had committed an act of foul play.

However, the committee decided that the contact had been with force and a high degree of danger, meaning the referee’s decision to issue a red card was upheld.

Sau will miss Fiji’s game against Georgia this weekend and his club Provence’s fixtures with Montauban, Mont-de-Marsan, Oyonnax and Agen.

If he completes a World Rugby coaching intervention programme, Sau would be available to face Agen. He also has 48 hours from the issuing of the full written decision to appeal.