JOHANNESBURG – The stand-out Kings flanker Chris Cloete has been slapped with a one-week ban after picking up a third yellow card this Super Rugby season.
Cloete has been suspended for 1 week, up to and including Saturday 17 June 2017. On Monday, Cloete appeared before a Sanzaar disciplinary hearing after being sin-binned for the third time this season during the Kings' clash against the Lions in Johannesburg on Sunday.
Cloete was subsequently suspended by the foul play review committee following a hearing under Sanzaar Judicial Rule 6.1.
The Sanzaar Judicial Rules in Section 8 of the Tournament Manual state: 6.1 A Player who has received three yellow cards or three Warnings (or any combination thereof) arising from matches in the same Super Rugby Competition shall be required to appear before the Foul Play Review Committee appointed for the Match during which he last offended.
At the same time as notification of the details of his hearing pursuant to Rule 4.1, the Player shall be sent copies of the Match Officials' Reports in relation to each incident and be advised that the purpose of the hearing before the Foul Play Review Committee is to consider the circumstances in which each yellow card and/or Warning was imposed and determine whether any further penalty should be imposed on him by reason of his persistent foul play, or the matter referred to a full hearing, pursuant to Rule 7.
Cloete's next scheduled match is for the South Africa ‘A’ side against the French Barbarians in Durban on June 16 and he will therefore not be available for that game. He will be eligible for the second match in Soweto the following week (June 23).
The Sanzaar foul play review committee of Nigel Hampton (chairperson), John Langford and Stefan Terblanche assessed the case.