Bulls wing Bjorn Basson has been cited for a dangerous tackle during Saturday’s 18-16 win over the Sharks at Kings Park.

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Basson is alleged to have contravened Law 10.4 (j) Dangerous Tackling – Lifting Tackling when he tackled Sharks No.10 Patrick Lambie in the 44th minute of the match.

Referee Jonathan Kaplan issued a yellow card for the incident but upon further review of the match footage, the Citing Commissioner deemed in his opinion the incident had met the red card threshold for foul play

The citing is to be considered in the first instance by SANZAR Duty Judicial Officer Jannie Lubbe.

* Meanwhile Bulls lock Flip van der Merwe and Reds loose forward Radike Samo were both issued ‘off-field yellow cards’.

Van der Merwe was issued with an off-field yellow card for stamping. He made contact with Sharks captain Keegan Daniel at a maul with his feet in the 21st minute of the Durban derby.

An off-field yellow card may be issued by the SANZAR Citing Commissioner for foul play incidents that are very close to, but in his opinion do not meet the red card threshold for citings.

In this case, Kaplan did not act upon the incident but upon further review, the Citing Commissioner deemed an off-field yellow card was appropriate.

Samo was issued with an off-field yellow card for contravening Law 10.4 (j) Dangerous Tackling – Lifting Tackling during a Super Rugby match at the weekend.
The incident occurred when Samo tackled Stormers scrumhalf Louis Schreuder in the 28th minute of the match between the Stormers and the Reds at Newlands at the weekend.

In this case the referee for the match did act upon the incident. Upon further review of the match footage the citing commissioner deemed an off-field yellow card was appropriate.

A Sanzar Judicial Hearing has found Bjorn Basson of the Bulls not guilty of contravening Law 10.4 (j) Dangerous Tackling – Lifting Tackling after he was cited during a Super Rugby match at the weekend.

No further sanction has been imposed on the player.

The incident occurred in the 44th Minute of the match between the Bulls and Sharks at Kings Park, Durban on Saturday 25th May 2013.

The Sanzar Judicial Hearing was held via videoconference on Monday 27th May 2013. Sanzar Judicial Officer Adam Casselden heard the case and was assisted by Former Professional Player Mike Mika. Stephan Weyers appeared for Mr Basson.

In his finding, Mr Casselden ruled the following:

Having heard the evidence of the player and having watched the video footage a number of times of the incident I was not satisfied, on the balance of probabilities, that Mr Basson was in breach of Law 10.4 (j) of the Laws of the Game. In forming this view I was ably assisted by Mike Mika who formed a similar view which was that I could not disregard the evidence of Mr Basson that he was trying to hold the tackled player up but lost control when he lost his grip. The citing was not upheld.