Hooker slapped with a hefty ban for ‘cheap knee shot’ in the Champions Cup
Referee Tual Trainini (FRA) shows a red card for Curtis Langdon of Northampton during the Investec Champions Cup, Round 4 while Munster's Thomas Ahern leaves the pitch.
Northampton Saints hooker Curtis Langdon has been banned after his red card in the Investec Champions Cup clash with Munster.
Referee Tual Trainini issued the red card in the 39th minute of the match, but the Saints would still go on to win the game 23-26 despite being a man down.
The victory sealed Northampton’s top seed in Pool 3 and a Round of 16 rematch with Munster in April.
Langdon banned
Langdon was sent off after his knee made contact with the head of Munster back-rower Thomas Ahern, who has subsequently withdrawn from the Ireland squad for the Six Nations, on two occasions, with the first ruled as accidental while referee Trainini deemed the second to be ‘reckless’.
The independent Disciplinary Committee upheld the red card decision, and Langdon also accepted that it warranted a red card.
He was subsequently handed an eight-game ban, which has been reduced by the maximum of 50% due to his guilty plea and clear disciplinary record.
Referee: "First contact was accidental, second we can't say it was intentional but it was reckless."
Thoughts on this sending off for Curtis Langdon?#MUNvNOR pic.twitter.com/vmuZX8LXXJ
— Jared Wright (@jaredwright17) January 20, 2024
“Langdon was shown a red card for making reckless contact to the head of the Munster Rugby second row, Thomas Ahern, in contravention of Law 9.11,” an EPCR statement confirming the ban read.
“An independent Disciplinary Committee comprising Rhian Williams (Wales), Chair, Bogdan Zebega (Romania), and Jamie Corsi (Wales) studied video imagery of the incident and heard evidence from Langdon, who accepted the red card decision.
“The committee upheld the red card decision and determined that Langdon should be sanctioned for striking with the knee. It then decided that the offending was at the mid-range of World Rugby’s sanctions, and eight weeks was selected as the appropriate entry point.
“Taking into account the player’s guilty plea and his clear disciplinary record, the committee decided to reduce the sanction by the maximum of 50% before imposing a four-week suspension.
“The date when Langdon can return to play will be determined once the committee has received full details of his future playing schedule.”
Reaction
As already mentioned the decision to red card Langdon proved to be controversial with the two fan bases.
“That’s a very very harsh red card, slow motion replays do not help at all,” Jon Sleightholme wrote on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.
Another fan added: “To suggest that Curtis Langdon intentionally kneed Tom Ahern in the head is absolutely crazy to me.”
The red card to Curtis Langdon has also set a very very dangerous precedent for the game.
The referee cited ‘injury’ as a reason for the red.
Now watch every player dive around clutching their face when a hair goes astray.
That decision just invited simulation into the sport.
— RugbyInsideLine (@RugbyInsideLine) January 21, 2024
However, Munster fans felt differently.
“Calling that reckless is an act of charity by the ref,” Tim O’Connor wrote.
Three Red Kings added: “He can’t have too many complaints there. Reckless.”
The reaction to the suspension has seemingly gone down more smoothly.
“At the time I was shocked at the red but after watching further replays and the fact he himself plead guilty can’t really moan too much,” one fan wrote in response to a post on the official Saints’ X page.
Tim O’Connor wayed in once again writing: “Notable in this: Langdon *accepted* that he deserved to get a red card for what he did.”
Another Munster fan was still not pleased with what happened to their player, posting: “A four-week ban for Northampton’s Curtis Langdon for his cheap knee shot to the head of Thomas Ahern at the weekend. I assume it’s 6/8 cut and mitigated down, but I haven’t seen the full report yet. Whether or which, it’s good to see a ban for a truly stupid and indefensible act”
