LAST UPDATE | 24 Aug 2023
ROMANIA HAVE RECIEVED a Rugby World Cup boost, with Adrian Moțoc cleared to play against Ireland.
The lock was shown a red card in Saturday’s 57-7 defeat to Italy for “dangerous play in a ruck”.
Moțoc appeared before an independent judicial committee today via video link, and the decision was confirmed in a statement this evening.
“The Committee applied the Head Contact Process and concluded that the player’s actions warranted a red card, but determined that the player should not be denied the benefit of mitigation as his actions were not ‘always illegal’ and had it not been for the sudden and significant movements of the Italy number 7; who was removing himself from the ruck to re-join the defensive line, the player would not have made contact with the head of the Italy 7,” the statement reads.
“Had it not been for this mitigating factor, the player’s actions would have legitimate.
“On that basis, the committee did not uphold the red card and the player is free to play again immediately.”
Ireland face Romania in their first pool match on Saturday 9 September in Bordeaux.
Meanwhile, centre George Moala will miss all but one of Tonga’s Rugby World Cup pool games after he failed in an appeal to have a five-match ban over-turned, World Rugby announced on Thursday.
Former New Zealand midfielder Moala, 32, was suspended for a dangerous tackle in 10 August’s win over Canada but then appealed the decision.
He missed a second game with Canada five days later and will also be banned for his French club Clermont’s Top 14 game this weekend as well as Tonga’s first three World Cup fixtures.
The Pacific Islanders open their World Cup campaign against Ireland as well as playing Scotland, holders South Africa and Romania, who Moala will be able to feature against.
- Additional reporting – © AFP 2023, updated with Georga Moala news
