This past weekend David Kriel was shown a red card in round four of the United Rugby Championship during a clash between the Bulls and Ospreys in Wales.
Referee Eoghan Cross adjudged the utility back to have led with his forearm and elbow into the head and neck area of an Ospreys defender, after reviewing the incident with the TMO.
It was an incident that led to a backlash on social media, with many feeling it was a simple rugby collision that should have hardly warranted a card, let alone a red.
As it’s turned out, after Kriel’s hearing, the disciplinary panel agreed that his 49th-minute incident had enough mitigation to be revoked.
He therefore immediately becomes available for selection as the Bulls prepares for their second match of a three-week European tour, against the Scarlets this Friday.
Here is the latest feedback on the incident involving the Bulls’ David Kriel
The panel overseeing the disciplinary process, Roddy Dunlop KC (Chair, Scotland), Donal Courtney and Gordon Black (both Ireland), found that while “an act of foul play had occurred and the player made contact with the neck area of the tackler, a combination of factors (including the Player’s attempt at a hand-off to protect himself, the speed & height of the tackling player, and the low force of the contact in question) was such that the player had established, on balance of probability, that a red card should not have been issued.”
The card was thus rescinded.
What do you think of this decision?
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