CHIEFS FORWARD BEN MAY SUSPENDED FOR THREE WEEKS

[no.8]

Chiefs player Ben May (prop) has been suspended for three weeks after being found guilty of stamping on an opponent during the Super 14 match on Saturday against the Lions at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.

A Sanzar Disciplinary Committee barred May from all rugby until 31st May 2008.

May was charged with stamping or trampling Lions flanker Joe van Niekerk, which resulted in a judicial hearing late Sunday evening in Durban.

One of the Touch Judges, Deon van Blommenstein, alerted the match referee to the incident which took place in the 23rd minute of the second half. As a result, referee Stuart Dickenson showed May the red card.

The hearing was held before Judicial Officer Dekker Govender . May was represented by barrister Timothy J. Castle of Wellington (NZ). Evidence was also heard from Ian Foster (Chiefs coach) and the player.

After careful consideration of all the evidence, including clear video evidence of the incident, and submissions made on behalf of the player, the Committee found that the offence was reckless but not intentional.

In handing down sentence, the Committee took into account the fact that the player had an unblemished record at Super 14 and provincial level. Furthermore, the fact that the referee disallowed a try as a direct result of the incident was also taken into consideration by Govender when he imposed the sanction against the player.

[JediKnight]

Fair enough.

[Flamethrower]

Ban and injuries ravage Chiefs
Monday, 12 May 2008
Ban and injuries ravage Chiefs - Rugby news & coverage - Stuff.co.nz

Injuries and suspension have ravaged the Chiefs, who have been forced to fly four players to South Africa for their crucial final-round Super 14 rugby match against the Sharks.

Five players will fly home early this week as the Chiefs squad undergoes a major transformation ahead of the game they must win at Durban on Sunday morning (NZ time) to have any chance of reaching the semifinals.

Three props are among those leaving, including Ben May, who was today suspended for three weeks for careless use of the foot during their 27-33 loss to the Lions in Johannesburg on Sunday.

The other props are Simms Davison, who didn't play at Johannesburg because of a back injury, and Simon Lemalu, who injured his knee.

Also leaving are reserve halfback David Bason and centre Richard Kahui, who has failed to shake off an ankle strain that ruled him out of the Lions game.

"We've had a nightmare in the last 24 hours trying to figure it all out," coach Ian Foster said.

Coming to Durban are All Blacks halfback Brendon Leonard, who has been recuperating from a knee injury, midfield back Murray Williams, prop Nathan White, who played his first game of rugby for his Te Awamutu Sports club on Saturday after returning from back surgery, and hooker John Paeranga.

Key players Stephen Donald, Sione Lauaki, Sitiveni Sivivatu and Tom Willis are also in doubt after leaving the field early in Johannesburg.

No 8 Lauaki suffered a hamstring strain, winger Sivivatu an ankle sprain and hooker Willis a side strain.

"We're still assessing over the next 48 hours Sione Lauaki with his hamstring, Sitiveni Sivivatu with his ankle and Steve Donald with his neck, which is extremely sore and in a brace.

"So that could require further replacements but we will probably make that decision in 48 hours," Foster said.

X-rays found no fractures in Sivivatu or Donald but their injuries are both causing a lot of swelling and pain.

"It's a pretty unique situation where we could have up to six or seven players after that game who could be down and out."

Earlier today a Sanzar judicial committee ruled that while May's the offence was at the lower end of the scale it still deemed he had been careless where he placed his foot when it made contact with the head of Lions flanker Joe van Niekerk.

He is ruled out of this weekend's final-round match against the Sharks in Durban and will be unavailable if the seventh-placed Chiefs advance to the semifinals and final.

The judgement took into account that there was no malice, no intent to cause harm and the prop's unblemished record at first class rugby. He has never previously recieved a yellow card.

May was sent off for the offence and a try by his team was subsequently disallowed during their 27-33 loss at Johannesburg.

Chiefs management engaged the services of Wellington barrister Tim Castle to appear as counsel for May at the judicial hearing in Durban.

May will leave South Africa within the next two days.

-Waikato Times/NZPA

[Skiza]

Didnt see the incident but i saw Van Niekerk going psycho afterwards...he looked deranged

[benny]

Good to see "WEEPU" got cited also... N O T !!!!

[The InnFORCEr]

the Committee found that the offence was reckless but not intentional.

Sounds like Weepu's stomping act as well, how was that not picked up???