Anger over ‘double standards’ of Garry Ringrose ban which ‘makes a mockery of entire disciplinary process’
Ireland centre Garry Ringrose after being yellow carded and France fly-half Romain Ntamack.
Rugby’s disciplinary process has once again been questioned after Garry Ringrose was handed a three-game ban by an independent panel.
The Ireland centre was given a 20-minute red card during their 27-18 victory over Wales for a head-on-head collision with Ben Thomas.
At the subsequent hearing, it was deemed that Ringrose’s actions warranted a mid-range entry point of six weeks.
That was then reduced to three after the usual mitigation was applied, including a guilty plea, clean record and an apology.
Tackle school and controversy
The 30-year-old is also eligible for the World Rugby Coaching Intervention Programme – tackle school – and if completed his suspension will go down by a further match.
However, this is where the controversy comes in. Unlike Romain Ntamack, who also received a three-week ban earlier in the Six Nations, Ringrose will be able to use a club match to count towards it.
Journalist Paul Eddison, who covers the French game extensively, stated that the decision “just does not add up” as outraged observers vented their frustration on social media.
“At times, I feel like French rugby fans claim double standards of disciplinary decisions a little too easily,” Eddison wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
“But Romain Ntamack getting a ban that cannot include Top 14 matches, and Garry Ringrose getting one where URC matches count just does not add up.”
Many Ireland fans were also in agreement, with one writing: “Obviously good for Ireland that Ringrose will be available for the last game but this is why week bans should be the precedent over games.
“There is absolutely no way Ringrose would ever have played this weekend. Makes a mockery of the entire disciplinary process.”
France’s ‘premium player’ policy backfires as Romain Ntamack ruled out of Italy clash
RugbyInsideLine also questioned the decision, asking why Ringrose was able to use a Leinster match and Ntamack was not allowed to miss a Toulouse encounter which was scheduled between the England and Italy games.
“Inconsistency…” they wrote.
“Ringrose’s suspension includes a club game he was unlikely to play in.
“Ntamack’s suspension didn’t include a club game, as he was unlikely to play.
“Why?”
The answer probably lies in France’s ‘premium player’ policy in which Ntamack was initially included when Fabien Galthie announced it last year.
Under that agreement, which includes 20 key players, they are generally not sent back to their clubs while on international duty and it is understood that Six Nations officials took that into account.
‘Premium’ player confusion
However, according to Eddison, the fly-half is not currently a ‘premium player’ due to the injury issues he has endured over the past year.
“Except Ntamack specifically isn’t on the list of premium players. It is done purely on call-ups in the previous year and because of injury, he hadn’t been involved at all in 2024,” he wrote.
It all means that although Ringrose will miss the France game, he will be available for Ireland’s final Six Nations clash with Italy.
That has duly raised more alarm bells over the 20-minute red card. Its defenders state that while the team should not be punished for one individual’s actions, that player will still be affected by a ban after the match, but it could be argued that the Irishman got off lightly.
“A 1-game ban, with 2 games removed by tackle school and a club game Ringrose wouldn’t play in normally,” analyst EK Rugby wrote.
“With bans so short, struggle to see how the 20-min. red isn’t just reducing the punishment for dangerous tackles.
“The red card improved the spectacle if anything too.”
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