FRANCE SECOND ROW Pascal Papé has been cited for the incident involving Jamie Heaslip during his side’s 18-11 defeat to Ireland on Saturday.
The Stade Français lock was sin binned for what referee Wayne Barnes perceived to be a deliberate use of the knee into the back of Ireland number eight Jamie Heaslip in the 52nd minute of the Six Nations clash.
Papé will appear before an independent Six Nations committee this week to answer the citing made by Saturday’s independent citing commissioner, Stefano Marrama of Italy.
Papé’s citing comes under World Rugby Law 10.4 (a), which prohibits players from striking opponents with the knee.
Law 10.4 (a) Punching or striking:
A player must not strike an opponent with the fist or arm, including the elbow, shoulder, head or knee(s).
Ireland are expected to issue an update on the injury status of Heaslip this afternoon, with the Leinster captain having undergone scans on his lower back following his team’s win on Saturday.
Heaslip limped off the pitch seven minutes after the incident involving Papé, and head coach Joe Schmidt indicated that his number eight was “very uncomfortable” after the game.
Under World Rugby’s sanctions for foul Play, suspensions under Law 10.4 (a) carries the following entry points:
Low End: four weeks Mid-Range: 10 weeks Top End: 16 to 104 weeks.
The Six Nations also issued notice that France Women second row Manon André has been cited for an incident in during her side’s win over Ireland at Ashbourne on Friday evening.
That citing comes under Law 10.4 (a), and appears to be related to alleged contact with the eye area of an Irish player.
Law 10.4 (m) Acts contrary to good sportsmanship:
A player must not do anything that is against the spirit of good sportsmanship in the playing enclosure. (Alleged contact with Eye(s) or the Eye Area).
Fingers crossed it’s nothing too career threatening for Heaslip. Just sanction for Pape as well – I’d imagine a mid-range ban of 10 weeks is coming his way. And is Barnes gonna be stood down as well for his all-round inability to ref??
If he hasn’t been stood down by now (this stage of his “career”), I doubt there would be anything for him to worry about now.
Probably be given the world cup final…
Too right. Wayne Barnes neglecting to give Pape a red card for the incident highlights the kind of woeful reffing performance he put in on Saturday.
If it’s intentional isn’t it automatically a red?
It’s a bit of a balls at this stage though, fair enough he got sin binned, but he is probably going to be banned for one of, if not both of the England and Wales games, which is punishing Ireland in a way!
I agree, unfortunately Wales and England benefit while one of our best players could miss the rest of the champions.
Hope he gets a hefty ban.
Very dirty thing to do.
Maybe he should get the same ban that heaslip got for the same thing?
A ban for the referee is in order here too!
Everyone could see it was a cite-able offence, never mind a red card. A yellow was a cop out.
With doctors and coaches under so much scrutiny regarding concussions and player welfare, it’s about time referees were made answerable for their decisions. Why was Pape allowed back on to the pitch following such dangerous play?
Murray, I’m sure you are already lining up you analysis pieces for the week but given the less than glowing response to a victory over the French (madness considering our record against them) maybe you could look at where we are failing in an attacking sense considering the calibre of players wee have in the backline….
Although naturally as a Munster fan I can totally appreciate grinding teams down for results…
The reason we couldnt score any tries was because Barnes consisently penalised Ireland at the breakdown when in France’s half which was largely because we didnt commit enough players to the breakdown.
We conceded 11 penalties which is the most we have ever conceded under Schmidt. As a result we had to adapt tactically and play a more kicking game than go wide through building phases.
What goes around comes around. Heaslip did the same thing to a Kiwi head a few years ago. Still not right but if you give it you must expect it!
Heaslip was just swinging his knee! If Richie McCaw wasn’t offside there would have been no issue.
And sure that’s all Pascal was doing
“Swinging a knee” is a complete understatement, Heaslip repeatedly kneed McCaw in the head, however McCaw was on the completely wrong side of the ruck (as per usual). Heaslip got a red card but none of the New Zealand boys got anything when they started laying into him on the ground in retaliation… Correct me if I’m wrong but wasn’t it Barnes that refereed that game and ordered Heaslip off?
Too many eyes in rugby now. I fear the game may become a bit ‘soft’. (Personal opinion not province based – although I do loath the ‘cult of referee superstars’ that is now a thing).