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Richie Gray out of Scotland’s test against Argentina and banned for three weeks

Richie Gray (R) and captain Jamie Ritchie at Scotland training.
Richie Gray (R) and captain Jamie Ritchie at Scotland training.

Richie Gray has been banned for three weeks after being found retrospectively guilty of foul play in Sunday’s game against New Zealand at BT Murrayfield.

The veteran lock, who has started the last two tests for Scotland – his first starts in five years – was not sanctioned by the referee or TMO for a charge into a ruck during Sunday’s game.

However the independent citing commissioner decreed there was a case to answer and a three-man disciplinary panel agreed foul play had occurred.

It means the 33-year-old misses Saturday’s final Autumn Test against Argentina and Glasgow Warriors’ next two games in the United Rugby Championship, against Leinster and Zebre.

The Disciplinary Committee was chaired by Shao-ing Wang (Singapore), joined by former international Stefan Terblanche (South Africa) and former international referee Juan-Pablo Spirandelli (Argentina).

The committee considered all the available evidence, including multiple broadcast angles and submissions from the player and his representative.

Player’s denial

Gray denied that he had committed an act of foul play worthy of a red card.

But having reviewed all the evidence, the Committee deemed that on the balance of probabilities, there was foul play in that the Player had led with his elbow into the tackle area to the danger to others.

On that basis, the Committee applied World Rugby’s mandatory minimum mid-range entry point for foul play resulting in contact with the head. This resulted in a starting point of a six-week suspension.

Having acknowledged mitigating factors including Gray’s excellent disciplinary record, the Committee halved the six week sanction to three. Gray is available to play again on December 4.

Scotland called Saracens lock Calum Hunter-Hill into their squad earlier this week as cover for Gray. It’s likely his younger brother Jonny will start in his place against the Pumas.

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