Case Number:

ON/349/24

Nikau Williams #14, York

Competition:

Championship

Match:

Doncaster v York Knights

Match Date:

2024-03-17

Incident:

Head Contact

Decision:

Charge

Charge Detail:

Law 15.1 (b)

Head Contact

Grade E

Fine:

£375

Sanctions:

3-5

Decision On Charge

Player plea:

Guilty but challenge the grading

Summary of CM's submissions on the Charge / evidence:

Following a Match Review Panel meeting held on 21st March 2024, you are charged with misconduct for a breach of Law 15.1(b) during the above match.

The Panel reviewed an incident which occurred at 01 16 30 footage time of the above match. In the Panel’s opinion you have contacted the head of your opponent. In the Panel’s opinion this is serious misconduct, has the potential for serious injury and is against the spirit of the game.

In accordance with the RFL’s On Field Sentencing Guidelines, the Panel consider that such offence is a Grade E offence – Head Contact.

The normal suspension range for such offence is 3 to 5 matches.
• Match Review Panel reviewed an incident in the above match.

• The matter was cited by the Doncaster Club. Included was where it is stated that the incident took place and a medical report, which detailed an injury sustained.

• The MRP believe the footage shows that this is shoulder contact by the tackler to the head of the ball carrier.

• The incident led to the ball carrier not engaging in any contact thereafter and was substituted a short while afterwards.

• The Match Review Panel deemed this to be forceful and dangerous and that this was high level of force and danger. For a contact to the head with high level of force and danger, the entry grading the Match Review Panel submit is a Grade D charge.

• The Match Review Panel do not believe that there were any mitigating factors at play with regards this incident.

• The aggravating factors are:

- Tackler makes no definite attempt to change height in an effort to avoid the ball carrier’s head.
- The trajectory of the tackler’s shoulder/arm is always going towards the ball carrier’s head.
- Tackler approaches contact at high-speed and is out of control.

• The Match Review Panel believe that the aggravating factors are sufficient to move this out of a Grade E charge.

Summary of Player's submissions on the Charge / evidence:

Player in attendance alongside Andrew Henderson (Head Coach). Player pleads guilty but challenges the grading.

AH explained that the club are pleading guilty to the charge, however, they contest the grading of the incident at Grade E.

They believe that NW drops his height by bending at the waist and also at the knees. They also feel that the opponent leans into contact which reduces his height when going into the tackle.

NW does not raise his arms at any time and keeps them by his side. Contact is made to the opponent’s chest first before it rises up to make secondary contact with the head. This was not direct contact to the head.

NW informed the panel that at no stage did his intend to course any harm to his opponent. He initially made contact to the opponent’s body and then it may have risen up towards his head.

AH then talked through the tackle again. He felt the key points included the poor quality of the footage, the poor angle from where the footage was shot from and that it doesn’t show direct contact to the head. There was no re-action from any of the Match Officials and no major re-action from any of the opposing team.

He also felt the medical report was inconclusive due to the description of the injury and how it occurred.

Decision:

Guilty plea

Decision On Sanction (where found to have committed Misconduct)

Reasons for Decision:

The Tribunal thank both sides for their submissions.

They have watched the footage several times and are in agreement that there are no mitigating factors involved in this incident.

They do not feel that the player makes any attempt to lower his height and that contact is direct to the head of the opponent, via his left shoulder.

They feel that there are two or three aggravating factors involved and agree that the grading is correct at Grade E.

Taking into account the players plea and his previous good disciplinary record they feel that a suspension for 4-matches is appropriate.

The player will also be fined £375 due to the grade of the charge.

Suspension:

4 matches