Rochelais Teddy Thomas and Ronan O’Gara were suspended by the disciplinary committee following the match against Racing 92. If the Irish manager received only a light sanction, the maritime winger will miss the next few weeks of competition.
The LNR disciplinary committee has ruled: Teddy Thomas will miss the next few weeks of competition with Stade Rochelais. Suspended five weeks after his red card received against Racing 92, the winger was found responsible for “dangerous play”. As a reminder, the former Ile-de-France resident was guilty of a “tie” on Ile-de-France scrum-half Nolann Le Garrec during the La Rochelle – Racing 92 meeting on November 26 (32-10). “It is the highest level of the severity scale which was retained, i.e. a 10-week suspension”, informs the press release, which specifies that the sanction was reduced by five weeks after taking into account the mitigating circumstances. Thomas could also benefit from the ‘Head Contact Process’ awareness program, which allows the sanction to be reduced by one week if the program is successful. If this is the case, he could apply for his team’s last match of the year, and not least, against Stade Toulouse on Saturday December 30 at the Marcel Deflandre stadium.
For his part, his manager Ronan O’Gara was also summoned before the disciplinary committee following his behavior during the match against Racing. He was sanctioned with a one-week suspension on the grounds of “indiscipline” and of “nervousness“. The Irishman will be requalified on December 11, 2023. In a column published in the‘Irish Examinerthe coach of Stade Rochelais had contested this summons. “I was summoned to appear in court for what is indirectly called a “bad behaviour”. If all the Top 14 coaches were accused of “misbehavior” every time they questioned or commented on a wrong decision, they wouldn’t have time to do anything else in the week.”
Maddocks, Farrell and Sinzelle suspended, Tolofua requalified
The Rochelais were not the only ones to appear before the disciplinary committee. For his red card received against Castres on the 8th day, Jérémy Sinzelle received a three-week suspension. Requalified on December 16, he will also benefit from the ‘Head Contact Process’.
Oyonnax center Christopher Farrell received a three-week suspension following the match against Montpellier. He had hit Arthur Vincent with his elbow forward. He was found responsible for “Dangerous game” and more particularly “Impact or charge an opponent with the elbow or forearm”. Pau fullback Jack Maddocks was also sanctioned with a three-week suspension for his late tackle against Stade Français (8th day). Finally, the Toulonnais Christopher Tolofua was cleared by the commission. He was called up following the RCT match against the Section Pau.