A Sports Law Rugby Blog
On 21 June 2021, the RFU published the decision of its independent disciplinary panel (the “Panel”) to sanction Leicester Tigers hooker, Tom Youngs, for conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game, contrary to RFU Rule 5.12. The case arose…
Zander Fagerson’s ban during the 2021 Six Nations has caused widespread controversy. Fans and commentators have been outraged by the fact he was sent off, by the length of his ban, and by the matches for which he has been…
On 11 February, Jonathan Joseph, Elliott Stooke and Gabriel Oghre were sanctioned by the RFU for breaching the UK Government’s COVID-19 regulations and rugby’s COVID-19 Minimum Operating Standards. In what is now rugby’s second COVID-19 disciplinary case (see previously the…
On 8 December 2020, an independent RFU disciplinary panel (the “Panel”) chaired by Phillip Evans QC handed down its decision (the “Decision”) in the case of the 13 Barbarians players charged with breaching COVID-19 protocols. The players’ actions had resulted…
Today is the first day of On the Ball: The Rugby Union Conference! I am very excited to be co-hosting this virtual, free event along with Steven Flynn of Kings Chambers. For full details of the event, including the schedule…
In May 2019, World Rugby published its Decision-Making Framework for High Tackles (the “Framework”). It was intended as a “systematic tool” to guide decision-making by referees, citing commissioners and disciplinary panels as to the appropriate sanction for potential acts of…
The COVID-19 pandemic has created a plethora of legal and administrative hurdles for sport worldwide, and rugby union is no exception. Existing fault-lines have come sharply into focus, as tensions have been exacerbated between the game’s stakeholders and discontent has…
Rugby’s disciplinary process has come in for a lot of criticism this week; much of it undeserved. The controversies of Owen Farrell’s high tackle and the punch-up between Siale Piutau and Andrew Kitchener in the Gallagher Premiership have dominated the…
Plymouth Albion Rugby Football Club (the “Club”) of National League 1 has hit the rugby press over the past few weeks after being hit with a heavy disciplinary sanction by the RFU. On 26 May 2020, an RFU Appeal Panel…
Over the weekend of 28 June 2020, a public disagreement broke out between two Premiership rugby clubs over the services of coach George Skivington. Mr Skivington was, until Saturday, an assistant coach at London Irish Rugby Football Club (“London Irish”).…
