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February 28, 2018

Ryan Wilson free to play

Posted by Editor on February 28, 2018 04:41 PM | No comments | Print | E-mail author

Ryan Wilson is free to play
Ryan Wilson is free to play after a disciplinary panel rejected a citing compliant made against him after Scotland's win over England at Murrayfield last Saturday.

The official verdict can be read below:

Ryan Wilson, the Scotland number eight, appeared today before an independent Six Nations Disciplinary Committee, having been cited by an independent World Rugby-appointed Citing Commissioner for an alleged act of foul play in the Six Nations senior men's match between Scotland and England at Murrayfield on 24 February 2018. The Disciplinary Committee was chaired by Roger Morris (Wales), alongside Phaidra Knight (USA) and Olly Kohn (Wales).

The citing complaint against Mr Wilson was for an alleged act of physical abuse (contact with the eye area of an opponent), an infringement of Law 9.12, in the 37th minute of the match. He did not accept that he had committed an act of foul play.

The Disciplinary Committee, having viewed the video footage of the incident, considered all of the other evidence and heard representations by and on behalf of the player and Six Nations Rugby, found that the player had committed an act of foul play in that he had made contact (with two of his fingers) with the eye area (ie 'anywhere in close proximity to the eye' according to World Rugby's regulation 17) of his opponent. However, the Disciplinary Committee accepted medical evidence adduced on the player's behalf to the effect that, due to a pre-existing injury, two of his fingers (his fourth and little finger on his right hand) were involuntarily in a bent or hooked position. The Disciplinary Committee also considered that the contact with the eye area had been reckless (rather than intentional), light and fleeting, and had come about as a result of the player's attempts to grab his opponent's shirt during an off-the-ball scuffle with his opponent.

After careful consideration, the Disciplinary Committee did not conclude that the foul play had warranted a red card, and the citing was not upheld. No sanction was imposed and the player is free to resume playing immediately.