ADVERTISEMENT
RugbyDump
REGISTER
LOGIN
ADVERTISEMENT
RugbyDump
Wednesday Oct 24, 2018

Tongan powerhouse banned after brutal shoulder straight to hooker's chin

Castres Olympique No 8, Maama Vaipulu, received sanction today following a brutal shoulder against Exeter Chiefs in the Heineken Champions Cup at the Stade Pierre Fabre this past weekend. 

ADVERTISEMENT

Tongan Vaipulu, who played for the Chiefs in New Zealand before joining Castres, was shown a straight red card for a tackle that saw his shoulder make clear contact with the head of Exeter hooker, Luke Cowan-Dickie, who didn’t have the ball.

Referee John Lacey called on Law 9.12, which refers to striking with the shoulder and under World Rugby’s sanctions for foul play carries the following entry points –  Low End: 2 weeks; Mid-range: 6 weeks; Top end: 10 to 52 weeks.

An independent disciplinary hearing in Paris found that the red card decision should be upheld, which Vaipulu accepted, and the panel found that his challenge was at the top end of the foul play sanctions, with 10 weeks the appropriate entry point.

However, given his guilty plea and early expression of remorse, the committee reduced the sanction by four weeks before imposing a final suspension of six weeks.

Vaipulu is, therefore, free to play again on Monday, 3 December 2018.

Meanwhile, Danny Cipriani has been hit with a three-week ban after his red card against Munster.

ADVERTISEMENT

Comments




Related Articles

  • 69 WEEKS AGO

    Montage of HUGE hits and brilliant tries...

  • 69 WEEKS AGO

    Just Jonny Wilkinson smashing people

  • 70 WEEKS AGO

    New Zealand Rugby Brawl



ADVERTISEMENT

Great Tries

  • 5 WEEKS AGO

    Seriously impressive Courtney Lawes compilation released after England player calls time on international career

  • 6 WEEKS AGO

    Fiji number eight Viliame 'Bill' Mata scores audacious try

  • 7 WEEKS AGO

    Wild scenes in Toulouse as Portugal seal last gasp comeback win over Fiji

  • 12 WEEKS AGO

    South African schoolboy produces the greatest goosey in the sport

  • 14 WEEKS AGO

    Incredible team try showcases thrills of the grassroots game

View All

Big Hits & Dirty Play

  • 1 WEEK AGO

    Streaker causes major bust up as he tackles player

  • 1 WEEK AGO

    Monster hit from Perrin leaves Bristol Bears player stunned

  • 3 WEEKS AGO

    Posolo Tuilagi's massive tackle lights up Top 14

  • 5 WEEKS AGO

    Theo Dan in the centre of 'punch' storm as possible infringement missed

  • 5 WEEKS AGO

    Seriously impressive Courtney Lawes compilation released after England player calls time on international career

View All

See It To Believe It

  • 6 DAYS AGO

    Compilation video shows Jamie George's surprising box of tricks

  • 7 WEEKS AGO

    Eddie Jones reported to have negotiated return to Japan national side

  • 8 WEEKS AGO

    Rees Zammit hits Olympic level as 100m sprint time is officially finally released

  • 9 WEEKS AGO

    Shocking record set to be broken at this year’s World Cup

  • 14 WEEKS AGO

    Incredible team try showcases thrills of the grassroots game

View All

Funnies

  • 1 WEEK AGO

    Streaker causes major bust up as he tackles player

  • 5 WEEKS AGO

    Luke Cowan-Dickie left red faced after losing very costly bet

  • 5 WEEKS AGO

    Mack Hansen proves once again that he is a hero in Ireland

  • 6 WEEKS AGO

    Irish players brilliantly take the p*** out of Sexton on plane intercom

  • 7 WEEKS AGO

    Brilliant video of Andy Farrell readying the Irish troops for battle

View All

Amateur

  • 46 WEEKS AGO

    You Won’t See Many Better Than This Silky-Smooth Try From Llandovery RFC

  • 46 WEEKS AGO

    Incredible Scenes As Caldy RFC Hand Ealing First Championship Defeat Of The Season

  • 69 WEEKS AGO

    Dubious Score Decides Result Of Rugby's Biggest Schools Fixture

  • 69 WEEKS AGO

    Incredible Scenes At School Boys Rugby Match

  • 70 WEEKS AGO

    The Next Dominant Backrow?

View All

Player Features

  • 5 HOURS AGO

    Siya Kolisi opens up about stabbing incident in powerful interview with Dan Biggar

  • 7 HOURS AGO

    BREAKING: Owen Farrell to step away from England duties entirely

  • 1 DAY AGO

    Community mourning loss of 29-year-old rugby player Melita Williams

  • 1 DAY AGO

    Stuart Barnes advises RFU to take on board Cipriani’s teachings

  • 1 DAY AGO

    England hopeful snapped up by Toulon as medical joker

View All