Arnold Handed Three-Week Suspension

Munster centre Sam Arnold faced a disciplinary hearing today via a video conference and has been banned for three weeks.

A disciplinary panel convened in Neath to consider the red card decision against Sam Arnold resulting from the GUINNESS PRO14 round 12 fixture against Ulster at Kingspan Stadium last Monday.

The young centre, who caught Ulster’s Christian Lealiifano with a high tackle, was shown a red card by referee Sean Gallagher under law 10.4 (e) – dangerous tackling. 

The disciplinary panel, comprising of Roger Morris (Chair), Nigel Williams and Owain Rhys James (all Wales), concluded that the actions merited a mid-range entry point as a player must not tackle above the line of shoulders, an act of foul play which carries a six-week suspension.

The ban was reduced after full mitigation of 50% was applied having taken into account the player’s conduct throughout the hearing and his previously clean disciplinary record.

As a result, Arnold has been banned for a period of three weeks. He will miss Munster’s upcoming games against Connacht, Racing 92 and Castres Olympique, and is free to play from Monday, January 22. He was reminded of his right to appeal.