Filipo Daugunu cleared for Springboks Rugby Championship opener despite Georgia red card
Wed, Jul 24, 2024, 3:04 PM
Nathan Williamson
The Wallabies have been handed a massive boost with winger Filipo Daugunu cleared to face the Springboks on August 10.
Daugunu was sent off during the 40-29 victory over Georgia after a charge down gone wrong, collecting Georgian Demur Tapladze in the head.
The incident was yellow carded before being upgraded at half-time, leaving the Australians to battle with 14 men for the start of the second half.
Daugunu faced the independent Disciplinary Committee as he argued that it did not meet the red card threshold.
Whilst this was denied, the ruling was change from a dangerous tackle to a reckless or dangerous act, allowing Daugunu to take a mid-range entry point and a two-match ban pending the completion of 'Sanction Mitigation'
This will be served at Queensland Premier Rugby level for Sunnybank, making him available to face the world champions at Suncorp Stadium.
"The Committee considered the players submissions, along with the clips and other available evidence and found that the red card was upheld," the statement read.
"While the red card issued was for Law 9.13 (Dangerous Tackle), the Committee decided that the offence should be 9.11 (Players must not do anything that is reckless or dangerous) as it was an attempted charge down.
"The Committee considered the appropriate entry point for the offending and decided that the offence warranted the mandatory mid-end entry point for offending involving contact with the head of 6 matches.
"Having considered submissions as regards mitigation, the Committee applied full 50 per cent mitigation to the sanction resulting in a sanction of three matches.
"An additional match may be removed from the sanction should the player complete the World Rugby Coaching Intervention for Sanction Mitigation (CISM) which applies to foul play involving Head Contact."
