The Vodacom Bulls will be partly relieved that the disciplinary hearing into winger Sebastian de Klerk’s red card against Leinster didn’t have a worse outcome, with the player being banned for two games for taking out Andrew Osborne in the air.
A Vodacom United Rugby Championship disciplinary panel found that the red card was justified, and but was lenient in giving him a lengthy ban, so much so that he will only miss Saturday’s URC game against Zebre Parma at Loftus Versfeld and then the EPCR Challenge Cup game against Bayonne on April 5.
De Klerk had his eye on the ball, but in the process collided with Osborne, who had won the aerial challenge and was off his feet, upending the winger, who landed on his shoulder and head area, prompting the red card.
The disciplinary committee decided it was an act of foul play and that referee Ben Whitehouse was justified in his red card under Law 9.17 – A player must not tackle, charge, pull, push or grasp an opponent whose feet are off the ground.
“In the Player’s responses to the Judicial Officer overseeing the disciplinary process (John Kirk), he had accepted that he committed an act of foul play which warranted a Red Card. Mr. Kirk found that the incident met the Red Card threshold, with low-end entry point warranting four weeks.
"The Player received two weeks (50 per cent) mitigation due to his apology immediately on field and throughout, good record and exemplary conduct throughout the disciplinary process which results in a two game suspension,” the disciplinary finding found.
In another disciplinary held by the same committee, Mosese Tuipulotu, the brother of Scottish midfielder Sione, was banned for three games following his red card against Benetton.
The ban means he won’t be eligible for Edinburgh’s EPCR Challenge Cup match against the Emirates Lions and possibly also the next game against the Hollywoodbets Sharks, although if Edinbugh beat the Lions, their Round of eight game will count as his third game suspension
“ After an act of foul play by Edinburgh Rugby player No 12 (Mosese Tuipulotu), referee Craig Evans showed the Player a Red Card in the 75th minute of the game under Law 9.13 – A player must not tackle an opponent early, late or dangerously.
"Dangerous tackling includes, but is not limited to, tackling or attempting to tackle an opponent above the line of the shoulders even if the tackle starts below the line of the shoulders,” the disciplinary said.
In the Player’s responses to the Judicial Officer overseeing the disciplinary process (H. Pat Barriscale), he had accepted that he had committed an act of foul play which warranted a Red Card.
Mr Barriscale found that the incident met the Red Card threshold, with entry of mid-range warranting six weeks. The Player received three weeks (50 per cent) mitigation due to his apology and good record which results in a three game suspension.
Should the Player complete the World Rugby Coaching Intervention Programme then the sanction will be reduced by one week.
Fixtures Sebastian De Klerk is unavailable for:
Vodacom Bulls v Zebre Parma, 29 March 2025, Vodacom URC
Aviron Bayonnais v Vodacom Bulls, 5 April 2025, EPCR Challenge Cup
Fixtures Mosese Tuipulotu is unavailable for:
Edinburgh Rugby v Dragons RFC, 28 March 2025, Vodacom URC
Edinburgh Rugby v Emirates Lions, 4 April 2025, EPCR Challenge Cup
Edinburgh Rugby v Hollywoodbets Sharks, 18 April 2025, Vodacom URC
*If Edinburgh Rugby make EPCR Challenge Cup Quarter Final (11/12 April), this will count as the third fixture for suspension