Three-week ban for Yeandle

By Mark Stevens
3/3/21

Jack Yeandle of Exeter Chiefs had his case heard on papers by an independent disciplinary panel on Tuesday night.

The Chiefs captain was shown a red card by referee Karl Dickson in the 26th minute of the match between Sale Sharks and Exeter Chiefs on Friday, February 26. This was for dangerous play in a ruck or maul, contrary to World Rugby Law 9.20a.

The hooker accepted the charge and was given a three-week suspension by the independent disciplinary panel comprising Jeremy Summers (chair), with Mitch Read and Tony Wheat. He is free to play on 23 March, 2021.

The full judgement, including explanation for sanction length (e.g. entry point and any mitigation) is available here.

Commenting on the decision, Chiefs' Director of Rugby, Rob Baxter, said: "Jack took the decision to plead guilty to the offence. It's a tough one for him because he knows his approach and that he needs to bind underneath. You can see there is the start of a bind there, but at the same time he realised that when you look at the directives that are coming out now, the referee went through the process and deemed there wasn't a sufficient bind there for it not to be seen as a illegal clear-out.

"If you enter in an illegal position now and make contact with the head, it's pretty clear what is going to happen. I think the good thing for Jack is that he has such a good disciplinary record, never having a yellow card over a long career, and it shows that he has not approached that to commit foul play or approached that to hurt anybody.

"I know he has had a couple of messages with Curtis Langdon since, so none of that has ever come into question. I think to have the maximum reduction that is is possible is the right outcome - and at least now we have some closure to it all."