Wallabies flanker Rocky Elsom has today been suspended for a week as a result of an incident in last weekend’s Tri-Nations match against South Africa at Durban.

Elsom was cited for tackling South African captain Victor Matfield in the air during a lineout in the game, which the Qantas

Rocky Elsom - Northern beaches Photography

After a detailed hearing in Durban yesterday, the SANZAR Judicial Officer for the match, Nick Davidson QC of New Zealand, found Elsom guilty of the offence, this morning imposing a one week suspension as the penalty.

Qantas Wallabies coach Robbie Deans says the team is disappointed by the outcome but will be making no further comment, with regards to either the decision or a possible appeal, until they have had time to study the judgement.

This is not expected to arrive with the team until tomorrow morning.

The Qantas Wallabies had just completed their morning training session at the Durban Crusaders club when informed of the verdict.

CJ van der Linde (South Africa)

South African prop CJ van der Linde was suspended for four weeks after being found guilty of dangerous play at a ruck during South Africa’s Tri-Nations match with Australia in Durban on Saturday.

Van der Linde faced a SANZAR Disciplinary Committee hearing after he was cited by citing commissioner Steve Hinds of New Zealand for striking Wallaby halfback Sam Cordingley with his head in the eighth minute of the match. Cordingley was not injured.

The SANZAR Disciplinary Officer Mr Nick Davidson QC of New Zealand accepted Van der Linde’s guilty plea to contravening Law 10.4(i) for dangerous play at a ruck. Van der Linde was cleared of contravening Law 10.4(a) relating to deliberately striking an opponent with the head.

Van der Linde has been suspended from all rugby until Monday, 22 September,

In his findings Mr Davidson said that the offence was cited as a deliberate striking with the head to the head. After hearing evidence and reviewing video coverage he decided that the offence was on the cusp of a striking but, applying the standard of proof, was assessable as dangerous play in a ruck under law 10.4(i). Mr Davidson found that this was an attempt to clear out with no legitimacy, Van der Linde driving forward unbound, off his feet, with his head as a leading edge.

Van der Linde denied targeting the head but acknowledged it was an illegal attempt to clear out, carrying a risk to Cordingley, who was fortunately not injured.

As a deliberate strike this would have warranted a top-end entry. Without injury and in the context of an illegal attempt to clear out a mid-range entry of four weeks applied.

Van der Linde has an excellent disciplinary record on which to draw in mitigation. However, the International Rugby Board has recently expressed its concern about the danger of unlawful and dangerous clearing out on the fringes of tackles, rucks and mauls and the need for deterrence is clear and is a counter-weight to any mitigation, said Mr Davidson.

Van der Linde was represented by South African Rugby Union legal officer Christo Ferreira, national teams manager Andy Marinos and personal attorney Stephan Weyers.

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