Super ‘WWE’ Rugby blasted after Fiji prop gets ‘disgraceful’ ban for ‘violent assault’
The two-week suspension has not been received well.
Fijian Drua prop Jone Koroiduadua has been handed a two-week ban for his headbutt on Melbourne Rebels’ hooker Alex Mafi, a decision that has been heavily criticised.
Super Rugby Pacific confirmed Koroiduadua’s suspension with the Foul Play Review Committee (FPRC), finding the prop guilty of contravening Law 9.12: “A player must not physically abuse anyone. Physical abuse includes, but is not limited to striking with head.”
Two-week ban
The FPRC comprising Stephen Hardy (Chairman), Ofisa Tonu’u and Stefan Terblanche assessed the incident and deemed that the act of foul play “merited a low-end entry point of six weeks primarily given that the Player and victim player were “head to head” prior to the incident.”
Additionally, they deemed that Koroiduadua’s head “appears to have made limited contact with the head of the victim player and rather made contact with the chest area of the victim player. There was also no injury to the victim player.”
Because of the lack of forceful contact with Mafi’s head, the FPRC deemed that the low-end entry point was suitable adding: “The entry point may well have been higher than low-end.”
Jone Koroiduadua has been banned for just 2 weeks for his headbutt. 😳
6 weeks cut to 3 and then: a sanction of 3 weeks would have been wholly disproportionate to the level and type of offending involved, & applied a further reduction of 1 week.”pic.twitter.com/V2ucdLGHgx…
— Jared Wright (@jaredwright17) April 10, 2024
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The offence, therefore, led to a six-week suspension, but the FPRC applied a discount of three weeks due to Koroiduadua’s early guilty plea “and other relevant mitigating factors, including the player’s otherwise unblemished disciplinary record, reducing the suspension.”
In an unprecedented move, the FPRC further reduced the suspension by another week stating: “Where a matter is determined to be low-end offending, there are off-field mitigating factors, and the sanction would be wholly disproportionate to the level and type of offending involved, a sanction below 50% of the sanction may apply.
“To that end, the Foul Play Review Committee considered a sanction of 3 weeks would have been wholly disproportionate to the level and type of offending involved, and applied a further reduction of 1 week to the sanction, resulting in a total sanction of 2 weeks.”
The prop will miss the Fijian Drua’s next two fixtures against the Hurricanes and Moana Pasifika.
Reaction
Unsurprisingly, fans have slammed the two-week ban for a deliberate headbutt, many of whom weren’t pleased by team-mate Frank Lomani’s suspension either after the scrum-half elbowed lock Josh Canham on the back of his head.
“Neither Frank Lomani or Jone Koroiduadua should be eligible for World Rugby’s coaching intervention panel (tackle school) as both were awarded for violent conduct. A reduction should and must NOT apply for offences that are temperament and not technique-related,” player safety lobby group Progressive Rugby wrote on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.
One fan simply reacted with “Super “WWE” Rugby” with another reacting, saying “laughable”.
Many believed that had the player been of a different nationality that the suspension outcome would be different.
“Only 2 weeks for a headbutt, imagine if he was South African,” one comment read.
One fan dubbed the suspension “An absolute disgrace”, adding: “I really have 0 respect for PRO players who cannot keep their cool. Whatever the sport. He deserved a whole season ban, without pay.”
There were certainly strong opinions all round, one fan wrote: “2 weeks, for that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know i was taking the p**s when i called it, but i predicted a week, so I’m still calling that as a win. What an absolute farce”
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