Richie Gray Disciplinary Update

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND - NOVEMBER 01: Richie Gray during a Scotland open training session at the Oriam, on November 01, 2022, in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Ross MacDonald / SNS Group)

The independent Disciplinary Committee chaired by Shao-ing Wang (Singapore), joined by former international Stefan Terblanche (South Africa) and former international referee Juan-Pablo Spirandelli (Argentina), heard the case, considering all the available evidence, including multiple broadcast angles and submissions from the player and his representative. The Disciplinary Committee considered and accepted submissions from the player’s representative that the charge be amended to Law 9.11 (Players must not do anything that is reckless or dangerous to others including leading with the elbow or forearm).

The player denied that he had committed an act of foul play worthy of a red card. Having reviewed all the evidence, the Committee deemed that on the balance of probabilities, there was foul play in that the Player had led with his elbow into the tackle area which was dangerous to others. Applying World Rugby’s Head Contact Process, the Committee determined that

• there was contact with the head
• the Player had acted recklessly
• there was a high degree of danger
• there was no mitigation

On that basis, the Committee applied World Rugby’s mandatory minimum mid-range entry point for foul play resulting in contact with the head. This resulted in a starting point of a six-week suspension.

Having acknowledged mitigating factors including the Player’s excellent disciplinary record, the Committee reduced the six-week entry point by three weeks, resulting in a sanction of three weeks (to be served as the following given the player’s upcoming schedule):

19 November – Scotland v Argentina, ANS

26 November – Glasgow Warriors v Leinster, URC

3 December – Glasgow Warriors v Zebre URC