New Zealand fly half Dan Carter cited over high tackle against Wales

[travelling_gerry]

November 09, 2009

New Zealand fly half Dan Carter has been cited for a dangerous tackle on Wales scrum half Martin Roberts during their Test at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.
Carter was jeered off the pitch after the head-high tackle, which incensed Wales coach Warren Gatland, and will face a disciplinary hearing in Milan, where the New Zealand squad are preparing for next weekend's clash against Italy.

He is due to appear before International Rugby Board-appointed judicial officer Jeff Blackett, who is also the Rugby Football Union's disciplinary chief.

The 27-year-old, who was not yellow-carded for the offence by match referee Craig Joubert, could receive a minimum one-week ban.

Carter, who kicked 14 points during the All Blacks' 19-12 victory, was cited by Australian match commissioner Scott Nowland.

He is the third All Blacks player to be cited in a week, following one-week suspensions dished out to wing Sitiveni Sivivatu and prop Tony Woodcock for foul play during the victory over the Wallabies in Tokyo.

Roberts, who had come on as a replacement, admitted Carter had apologised for the tackle.

"Looking at the replay it did look quite high. He did apologise to me. He said 'sorry for the tackle' after the game," he said.

"Things like that happen in games, and you just have to take it on the chin. It looked bad, but I was fine.

"Everyone has got their views and opinions, but as a player you just get on with it. The referee makes decisions."

Gatland, though, had no doubt Carter should have been yellow-carded.

"It was a head-high tackle," he said. "A guy makes a break in the 22, and if that had happened at the other end then it would have been a penalty and a yellow card.

"All the officials missed it, so we are pretty disappointed with that."

All Blacks centre Conrad Smith conceded New Zealand's general discipline was below the required standard.

"One of the worrying things was that our discipline still wasn't good enough," he said.

"We gave away far too many penalties and we are letting teams into games.

"I think our defence is really good, and the main way teams are making metres against us is through penalties. There were a lot of silly penalties conceded."
Agence France-Presse

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,...-23217,00.html

[normie]

"Things like that happen in games, and you just have to take it on the chin...."

I don't think Roberts had any option here...

[travelling_gerry]

From correspondents in London, England
November 10, 2009 .New Zealand fly half Dan Carter is set to miss the New Zealand's Test against Italy on Saturday after being banned for one week for a high tackle on Wales scrum half Martin Roberts.

Carter, who can appeal, is free to resume playing on November 17 - well in time to be available for New Zealand's November 21 international against England at Twickenham.

The All Blacks playmaker was cited for a dangerous tackle on Roberts during New Zealand's 19-12 victory at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday.

Man-of-the-match Carter escaped censure from referee Craig Joubert but Wales's Kiwi coach Warren Gatland was adamant he deserved at least a yellow card, which would have seen the playmaker sent to the sin-bin for 10 minutes.

New Zealand are currently preparing for this coming Saturday's Test against Italy in Milan where Carter, who has been struggling with a calf injury, may well have been rested in any event.


Agence France-Presse


http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,...-23217,00.html

[AndyS]

Unbelievable nonsense!

[James]

Unbelievable nonsense!

Can't say I've seen the hit, so is it nonsense that its not longer or nonsense that he got any punishment at all?

Either way you can be the old "If it was Burger/Botha it would have been 4 weeks...." coming out of South Africa but then generally speaking Daniel Carter has a pretty clean record when it comes to foul behaviour.

[GIGS20]

Saw the replays, one week's probably about right.

Unfortunately each of the sides had an element of truth in their argument it was a swinging arm to the chin, fer sure, but he was chasing from behind and it looked like it bounced off the shoulder a bit to me......He was def in dangerous tackle territory but no more than a week.

Yellow card would have probably been fair for it, If he had been carded I doubt whether he would've been cited.

[Burgs]

I believe that the week is on the money but definately should have been a Yellow because he came from behind. AB's were in deep trouble in defence until that hit, therefore an illegal act saved them. 5m out and there would have been arguments for a Penalty Try.

[AndyS]

Can't say I've seen the hit, so is it nonsense that its not longer or nonsense that he got any punishment at all?

Unbelievable that he was even cited. At worst it might have been a yellow based on field position and attacking position, but it was no certainty that they would have got the try without the tackle. It was definitely worth a penalty, but the refs either didn't think so or missed it - c'est la vie. That he got cited really does make the process look weak and politically / publicity motivated; that he got a week very much appears like they didn't want to highlight the fact and had to justify the citing.

[sandgroperrugby]

Watched the game last night from one angle it doesn’t look as bad but from the other it was a swinging motion of the arm and shoulder going in that made it look worse. It deserves a week but wasn’t intentional just reckless, Carter needed to make a big hit on him to shut down a good welsh attacking raid and got the angle of the bodies wrong and took him high on the shoulder and onto the neck.