f

*

EPCRSHORTJUDGMENTFORM

Match Glasgow Warriors Vs I Saracens Club's Country England Competition

- EUROPEAN -

Heineken Champions Cup

PROFESSIONAL CLUB RUGBY

Date of match 14 October 2018 Match venue Rules to apply EPCR Disciplinary Rules 2018/19

PARTICULARS OF OFFENCE

Player's surname Lozowski I Date of birth I 30/06/1993Forename(s) Alex I Plea I Admitted □ Not Admitted � Club name SELECT: Red card □ Citing� Other (specify) □Offence 9.13 DanQerous tacklinQ Summary of Sanction N/A

HEARING DETAILS

Hearinq date 16 October 2018 HearinQ venue Sofitel Hotel, London Heathrow Chairman/JO David Martin (Ireland) Panel member 1 Roqer Morris (Wales) Panel member 2 Val Toma (Romania) by Skype Disciplinary Officer Liam McTiernan Appearance Player Yes� No □ Appearance Club Yes� No □

Player's Representative(s): Other attendees: Sam Jones (Counsel) Mark McCall (Director of Rugby Saracens)

Warrick Lang (Rugby Manager Saracens)

List of documents/materials provided to player in advance of hearing:

1. Letter to Chairman of EPCR Disciplinary Panel from Disciplinary Officer dated the 16th of October 2018.2. Notice of Hearing issued on the 16th of October 2018.3. Citing Commissioners Report date submitted by Tim Lowry dated the 14th of October 2018.4. Report from Referee Mathieu Rayna I dated the 16th of October 2018.5. Report from TMO Philippe Bonhoure dated the 16th of October 2018.6. Witness Statement Ruaridh Jackson dated the 15th of October 20187. Witness Statement Nicola McGuire, Physiotherapist, Glasgow Warriors dated the 15th of October 2018.8. Player responses to standing directions dated the 16th of October 20189. Character reference in respect of Player from Mark McCall dated the 16th of October 2018.10. Video clip link provided by disciplinary officer.11. Slow motion clip provided by player.12. Still photo from side on.

Disciplinary Decision Page 1 of 7

Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow

Saracens

SUMMARY OF ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF CITING/REFEREE'S REPORT/FOOTAGE

The Citing Complaint was made under Law 9.13 in respect of an alleged incident which the Citing Commissioner stated occurred in

the 33rd minute of the match. The Citing complaint was in the following terms.

The alleged foul play occurred when Saracens 13 (Alex Lozowski) attempted a tackle on Glasgow 15 (Ruaridh Jackson) at match time

32.12. As Saracens 13 readied himself for contact he closes his right fist and as Glasgow 15 approaches Saracens 13 then tilts his

head to his left and leads with his right shoulder in an upwards and right to left motion whilst keeping his out stretched arm straight,

his right shoulder then impacts with Glasgow lS's head with force causing it to hyper-flex in a backward recoiling motion. I believe

the actions of Saracens 13 in leading with his right shoulder in this manner causing initial impact to Glasgow lS's head constitutes

dangerous play and posed a significant risk of serious injury to Glasgow 15 and is in breach of Law 9.13. For this reason I am firmly

of the view that the offence merited a red card. Video clips, victim statement and medical report were available to support this

allegation of foul play.

The referee confirmed in a statement dated the 16th of October 2018

32.12 It was a legal tackle from my view, the tackler rape on chest of ball carrier. I spoke with my TMO in live who confirmed with

delay screen the tackle was ok and we can play on.

The TMO Philippe Bonhoure in a statement dated the 16th of October 2018 and translated into English made a statement in the

following terms:-

Live, Mathieu questions me and I answer him that the time of the tackle the director changes camera. At the end of the action, Alex

asks Mathieu to check a possible forward pass that seemed to me to be a simple forward. The replay of the forward pass is

immediately broadcast and I shifted control of the screen until decision. During the time the slow motion of the tackle is broadcast

and, when I return to the live screen both players are on the ground. I have not seen it.

The victim player Ruaridh Jackson provided a written statement dated the 15th of October 2018.

I was playing for Glasgow against Saracens at Scotstoun on 14/10/18. At 33 minutes at 10 seconds I was involved in an incident

with Alex Lozowski of Saracens.

I carried the ball into contact, I wasn't sure at the time what made contact with my jaw and head but I got up feeling the effects of

a blow in that area.

ESSENllAL ELEMENTS OF OTHER EVIDENCE (e.g. medical reports)

The Disciplinary Officer read the abovementioned statements and followed by showing videos clips of the incident. This showed the

ball being moved from mid-field from right to left. The ball was carried by the victim player Ruaridh Jackson into contact with the

player, he endeavours to tackle the victim player without dipping his hips or leg. The right shoulder of the player is high and the

right arm with a clenched fist comes around whilst the player is in an upright position. The player's right arm is outstretched and his

right shoulder is rolled over into contact with the victim player causing him to recoil backwards following which the player wraps his

right arm around the victim player and both players go to ground. The ball moves away and both player get up with no reaction by

either player or from any other players on the pitch. The video clips of the incident presented by the disciplinary officer were played

from a number of angles without sound. The Disciplinary Officer talked the Committee through the citing complaint and maintained

that the video showed that this was a dangerous tackle and was high. The video showed the line of the shoulders and that the

player's shoulder ended up higher than the victim player. The incident was not reviewed by the referee as he had not seen the

incident. The Disciplinary Officer maintained that the Player had not flexed at the waist and had turned his shoulders into the victim

player. It is accepted that the player wrapped his arms but it is not certain whether the players would have gone to ground had he

not done so. The initial point of contact was not above the shoulders but a secondary impact was above the shoulder. This was

supported by the victim player's statement that there had been contact with him jaw and head. Whilst the victim player did not

know what hit him in the face he did feel pain from the force of impact to his jaw and reported the following day that he had neck

and jaw pain from the tackle sustained during the match although he did not seek treatment. The player by setting himself the way

he did, ran the risk of coming into contact with the jaw and that this occurred with such force as to warrant a red card.

Disciplinary Decision Page 2 of 7