Bourgoin Player Gets Off

ERC today decided not to impose any sanction against Julien Pierre, the Bourgoin second row forward, cited for dropping a knee into Donncha O’Callaghan’s back in the game in Geneva

Pierre was cited by Matt Bayliss for alleged dangerous play in a ruck (contravention of Law 10.4 (i)).

At the hearing today in ERC HQ in Dublin, the Disciplinary Committee, chaired by Professor Lorne Crerar,  amended the citing so that it also included alleged striking with the knee – contravention of Law 10.4 (a).

The independent Disciplinary Committee, that included Aurwell Morgan (Wales) and Peter Brown (Scotland), found that the player had committed an act of foul play and upheld the citing complaint. However, the Disciplinary Committee found that the act of foul play would not have warranted a red card and imposed no suspension on the player.

Ulster player Matt McCullough was in front of the Disciplinary Committee over the alleged use of racist language to the London Irish player Delon Armitage.

After four hours of evidence the Committee determined that a prima facie case had not been established and  accordingly determined that the misconduct complaints against McCullough should not be upheld.