**Iliesa Ratuva Tavuyara of Benetton Rugby faced a Disciplinary Hearing this evening (Wednesday, October 2) via video conference and has been banned for two weeks.

**

A Disciplinary Committee met via video conference to consider the red-card decision against Tavuyara (No 14) of Benetton Rugby which occurred against Leinster Rugby on Saturday, September 28, 2019.

The player was shown a red card by referee Ben Whitehouse underLaw 9.17 – A player must not tackle, charge, pull, push or grasp an opponent whose feet are off the ground.

The incident occurred in the 49th minute of the Guinness PRO14 Round 1 fixture at Stadio Monigo where the referee deemed the player to have committed an act of foul play against an opponent (No 11, Dave Kearney).

The player did not accept the red card but admitted an act of foul play and that his actions were reckless.

The Disciplinary Committee, comprising of Owain Rhys James (Chair), Nigel Williams and Declan Godwin (all Wales), concluded that the player had committed an act of foul play, that the act of foul play warranted a red card and so the referee’s decision to issue the red card was not wrong.

The Committee deemed the act warranted a low-end entry point of four weeks, which was reduced by 50 per cent due to the player’s clean disciplinary record and the conduct of the player and his club throughout the process.

The Committee therefore banned the player for a period of two weeks meaning that he is free to play from midnight on Sunday, October 13, 2019.

The player was reminded of his right to appeal.