Watch: Australia hooker handed 11-week ban for this tackle!

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Former Wallabies hooker Tolu Latu was suspended for 11 weeks after receiving his second red card of the season during a match between Stade Francais and Racing 92 in the European Champions Cup.

After coming off the bench for Stade in the second half, Latu was sent off in the 67th minute of the match for making contact with Racing 92 second rower Baptiste Chouzenoux in the air in a dangerous manner in contravention of Law 9.17. A player must not tackle, charge, pull, push or grasp an opponent whose feet are off the ground.

It was Latu’s second consecutive red card in the Champions Cup and his eighth of the season.

Under World Rugby’s Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 9.17 carries the following sanction entry points – Low End: 4 weeks; Mid-range: 8 weeks; Top end: 12 to 52 weeks.

The independent disciplinary committee comprising Jennifer Donovan (Ireland), chair, Mitchell Read (England) and Tony Wheat (Ireland), considered video imagery of the incident and heard evidence and submissions from the player, who accepted the red-card decision, and from Stade Francais Paris director general Thomas Lombard, and EPCR disciplinary officer Liam McTiernan.

The committee upheld the red decision, finding that Latu had committed an intentional act of foul play that warranted a red card. It then determined that the offending was at the top end of World Rugby’s sanctions and 12 weeks was selected as the appropriate entry point.

The committee decided to reduce the sanction by two weeks given the player’s guilty plea and apology, and it also decided to add one week to the sanction due to the player’s poor disciplinary record before imposing an 11-week suspension.

The exact date when Latu will be free to play will be determined once his playing schedule can be clarified. Both he and EPCR have the right to appeal the decision.

Photo: Getty Images

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Dylan Jack