SUVA RUGBY UNION CODE OF CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURE

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SRU CODE OF CONDUCT AND DISPLINARY PROCEDURE

All Clubs, Affiliates, Managers, Coaches, Players and Officials must take heed of the protocols outlined below or face appropriate disciplinary action. 1. Must ensure that the game is played and conducted in accordance with disciplined and sporting behavior and knowledge that it is not sufficient to rely solely upon the Match Officials to maintain those principles. Shall co-operate in ensuring the spirit of the laws of the Game are upheld and refrain from selecting players guilty of foul play. Shall not repeatedly breach the Laws of the Game. Shall accept and observe the authority and decisions of referee, touch judges, Match Officials and SRUs rugby disciplinary bodies. Shall not published or cause to published criticism of the manner in which a referee or touch judge handled a match. Shall not publish or cause to be publish criticism of manner in which the SRU Board or any other disciplinary body handled or resolved any dispute or disciplinary matter resulting from a breach of the Bye-Laws, Regulations, or Laws of the Game. shall not engaged in any conduct or any activity on or off the field that may impair public confidence in the honest and orderly conduct of a match, tour tournament or series of matches (including but not limited to the supply of information in relation to the Game, directly or indirectly, to bookmakers) or in the integrity and good character of any person. Shall promote the reputation of the Game and take all possible steps to prevent it from being brought into disrepute. Shall not commit a Doping Offence. Shall not abuse, threaten or intimidate a referee, touch judge or other Match Official, whether on or off the field of play. Shall not use crude or abusive languages or gestures towards referees, touch judges or or other Match Officials or spectators. Shall not do anything which is likely to intimidate, offend , insult, humiliate or indiscriminate against any other person on the ground for their religion, race colour or national or ethnic origin.

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Each Club is under an obligation to: 1. 2. Comply with, and to ensure that each of its members comply with this Code of Conduct; and Adopt procedures to monitor compliance with and impose sanctions for breaches of the Code of Conduct by persons under its jurisdiction.

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SRU Disciplinary Procedure

A. 1. WHEN A PLAYER IS SENT OFF Referee and where applicable, the Touch Judge(s), prepare a written report of the incident to the Match Commissioner, as soon as reasonably practicable, after the Match. The Player Ordered Off will be notified and will sight and be read the applicable report(s) against him Guidelines for Match The hearing will take place as soon as reasonably practable following the Match. The player and witnesses will attend the hearing to give evidence. Commissioners on The Match Commissioner shall consider the evidence. He may decide to impose a sanctions for illegal and/or Foul Play subject to relevant aggravating and/ or mitigating factors. A player may appeal against the decision of the Match Commissioner provided such appeal is competent and made within 48hours of notification of the Match Commissioners decision. The appeal must state the specific grounds of appeal. The appeal will be heard by the SRU Games Committee as soon as reasonably practicable after the appeal is lodged. Pending the appeal the Player is not entitled to play. The Games Committee has the power to quash, vary or increase any decision and/or penalty appealed against. Penalties

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B. 1.

WHEN A PLAYER IS CITED

Table of Penalties

Match Commissioners may cite a Player for illegal and/or Foul Play, which in the opinion of the Match Commissioner warrant the Player concerned being Ordered Off, notwithstanding that the act of illegal and/or Foul Play may have been detected by Referee and/or Touch Judge. Citing complaints must be made by the Match Commissioner the SRU Operations Manager within 2 hours of the completion of the match in which the illegal and/or Foul Play is alleged to have occurred. Participating Clubs are entitled to cite Players, but they refer acts of illegal and/ or Foul Play to the Match Commissioner for consideration, provided such reference is made within 1 hour within the conclusion of the match. The Match Commissioner decides whether or not to pursue a citing complaint and his decision is final

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If a citing complaint is initiated by a match Commissioner a copy of the Complaint is sent to the Player and the matter will be referred to the SRU Games Committee. The Games committee will hear the citing complaint as soon as reasonably practicable and will consider evidence from the Player and other relevant witnesses. The Games Committee shall consider the evidence and determine whether the Act(s) or illegal and/or Foul Play have been committed. The Games Committee may decide to impose a sanctions for illegal and /or Foul Play subject to relevant aggravating and/or mitigating factors. All disciplinary cases is encouraged to be solved prior to the next club game.

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-4Law No Description Lower End(LE) Mid Range(MR) Top End(TE) LE-6 weeks MR-12 weeks TE- 18+ weeks LE-24 weeks M- 48 weeks TE- 96 + weeks LE- 12 weeks MR- 24 weeks TE- 48+ weeks LE- 2 weeks MR- 5 weeks TE- 8+ weeks LE- 2 weeks MR- 5 weeks TE- 8+ weeks LE- 3 weeks MR- 8 weeks TE- 12 weeks LE- 4 weeks MR- 8 weeks TE- 12+ weeks LE- 2 weeks MR- 5 weeks TE- 9+ weeks LE- 2 weeks MR- 5 weeks TE- 9+ weeks LE- 4 weeks MR 8 weeks TE 12 weeks LE- 2 weeks MR- 4 weeks TE- 7+ weeks LE- 4 weeks MR- 8 weeks TE- 12+ weeks LE- 2 weeks MR- 4 weeks TE- 6+ weeks LE- 2 weeks MR- 5 weeks TE- 9+ weeks Maximum Sanctions

Verbal Abuse of match Officials

52 weeks

Physical Abuse of match Officials

Life

Threatening Actions or Words at Match Officials

260 weeks

Striking another player with a hand, arm or fist

52 weeks

Striking another player with the elbow

52 weeks

Striking with knee

52 weeks

Striking with Head

104 weeks

Stomping in an Opponent

52 weeks

Trampling on an Opponent

52 weeks

Kicking on an Opponent

52 weeks

Tripping an Opponent with the foot/leg

52 weeks

Dangerous tackling of an opponent including early or late and including the action known as the stiff arm tackle Holding, pushing or obstructing an Opponent not holding the ball except in a scrum, ruck or maul Dangerous, charging or obstructing or grabbing of Opponent without the ball, including shouldering

52 weeks

52 weeks

52 weeks

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Law No

Description

Dangerous, charging or obstructing or grabbing of opponent with the ball, including shouldering Causing a scrum, scrum, ruck or maul to collapse Testicle grabbing or twisting or squeezing

Biting

Contacting with Eyes or the eye Area

Spitting at Player

Verbal Abuse of Players based on Religion, Race, colour, or National or Ethnic Origin or otherwise

Lower End(LE) Mid Range(MR) Top End(TE) LE- 2 weeks MR- 5 weeks TE- 9+ weeks LE- 2 weeks MR- 4 weeks TE- 8+ weeks LE- 12 weeks MR- 18 weeks TE- 24 weeks LE- 12 weeks MR- 18 weeks TE- 24+ weeks LE- 12 weeks MR- 18 weeks TE- 24+ weeks LE- 4 weeks MR- 7 weeks TE- 11+ weeks MR- 8 weeks TE- 13+ weeks

Maximum Sanctions

52 weeks

52 weeks

208 weeks

208 weeks

156 weeks

52 weeks 52 weeks

Note: Recommended penalties are not minimum penalties and any aggravating or mitigating factor must be taken into account. In respect of offences not referred to above, appropriate sanctions may be imposed at the discretion of the Match Commissioner. Notwithstanding the recommended sanctions above where the players actions constitute mid range or top end offending for any type of offence which had the potential to result and, in fact, did result, in serious/gross consequences to the health of the victim, the Match Commissioner may impose any period of suspension including a suspension for life.