News

Burger one of three citings

Monday 08th September 2008

Wrong side of the law: Schalk Burger

Three players, including Springbok flank Schalk Burger, have been cited after a weekend of rough-and-tumble Currie Cup action and are set to face disciplinary hearings on Tuesday, it has been reported.

All three players - Western Province's Burger, Blue Bulls flank Deon Stegman and Lions full-back Jaco van Schalkwyk - have been cited for dangerous tackles, in Round Ten of South Africa's premier domestic champion which was characterised by the return of the Tri-Nations Springboks.

Burger added to his long list of previous citings after being shown a red card. Referee Phillip Bosch first sent Burger to the sin bin for a ten minute rest after pulling down a Cheetahs player at a line-out in Bloemfontein just inside the half-hour mark.

With a little less than ten minutes to play, Burger was given his matching orders for a second yellow card offence, this time for a dangerous stiff-arm tackle on Springbok team-mate and Cheetahs captain, Juan Smith.

Stegman will face the music at back home at Loftus Versfeld on Tuesday for a dangerous tackle on Sharks centre-cum-wing Waylon Murray in Durban.

Van Schalkwyk, who's Lions side pummeled the Falcons in a thirteen-try rout at Bosman stadium, could be in hot water for what looked like a spear tackle, for which he was shown a red card in the 65th minute.

Law 10.4 (e), reads as follows:

(e) Dangerous tackling. A player must not tackle an opponent early, late or dangerously.

- A player must not tackle (or try to tackle) an opponent above the line of the shoulders. A tackle around the opponent's neck or head is dangerous play.

- A 'stiff-arm tackle' is dangerous play. A player makes a stiff-arm tackle when using a stiff arm to strike an opponent.

- Playing a player without the ball is dangerous play.

- A player must not tackle an opponent whose feet are off the ground.

- Exception: A player is permitted to attempt to tackle a player who is in possession of the ball and is in the act of diving in an attempt to score a try.
Penalty: Penalty Kick