The Queensland Reds' Super Rugby Pacific campaign has been further rocked by three-week suspensions for captain Tate McDermott and his fellow Wallaby Fraser McReight.
After a third straight loss on Sunday against Moana Pasifika, McDermott was outed by the Super Rugby Pacific foul play review committee (FPRC) after receiving a red card for striking Irie Papuni with a swinging arm while bringing him to ground in a tackle.
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McReight was suspended for a high tackle on William Havili later in Queensland's 17-14 defeat in Whangarei.
The two Wallabies' bans could not have come at a worse time for Les Kiss's outfit, reeling from successive losses to the Western Force, the ACT Brumbies, and Moana Pasifika.
In its findings, the FPRC said the "entry point" of suspensions for McDermott's offence was six weeks, assessed as "mid-range for intentional and deliberate physical abuse of striking with arm to the side of the victim player's head where the victim player was in an vulnerable position with limited ability, if any, to defend himself".
"Having conducted a detailed review of all the available evidence, including all camera angles and additional evidence, including from the player and the player’s submissions, the Foul Play Review Committee upheld the Red Card and found the Player to have contravened Law 9.12," it read.
“The entry point for the offence was 6 weeks (assessed as mid-range for intentional and deliberate physical abuse of striking with arm to the side of the victim player’s head where the victim player was in a vulnerable position with limited ability, if any, to defend himself).”
McDermott was, however, given a three-week "discount" for an early guilty plea, and other mitigating factors including remorse and a prior exemplary disciplinary record.
Of McReight's hit, the FPRC said: "The FPRC was concerned by the 'upright nature of the tackle' and determined that it was an 'always illegal' act of foul play.
"In those circumstances mitigation would not apply," it said in a statement.
“The FPRC was concerned by the “upright nature of the tackle” and determined that it was an “always illegal” act of foul play. In those circumstances mitigation would not apply.
“Even if it was not an “always illegal” act of foul play, there was, in the FPRC’s view, no sudden or significant change in height or direction, a late change in dynamics (or any other relevant mitigating factor set out within the Head Contact Process) to result in mitigation sufficient to downgrade the incident to a yellow card," they explained.
"The entry point for the offence was 6 weeks (assessed as mid-range in line with World Rugby’s mandate and given there were no other factors applicable, in this instance, to increase the entry point). The Player was given a discount for entering an early guilty plea (and other relevant mitigating factors including remorse and prior disciplinary record), reducing the suspension from 6 weeks to 3 weeks. The Player is therefore suspended up to and including 4 May 2024.”
The suspensions for both Reds extend up to and including May 4, meaning they can not play in that day's fixture against the Crusaders, but can return against the Melbourne Rebels on Friday, May 10.
Queensland have now slid to sixth on the Super Rugby Pacific ladder, going from 3-1 to 3-4.
