Independent Disciplinary Update: Manie Libbok Decision

Manie Libbok of the HANAZONO KINTETSU LINERS was sent off for two yellow cards at the match between Kyushudenryoku KyudenVoltex and HANAZONO KINTETSU LINERS held on 14 March 2026. This was the third yellow card accumulated by Libbok in the season.

This is to inform that in accordance with Article 34 (Judicial and Citing) of the JAPAN RUGBY LEAGUE ONE ‘Official Match Guidelines 2025-26’ and the Japan Rugby Football Union ‘Regulation of Sanctions for Foul Play’, the Judicial Officer conducted a hearing with the player and decided to apply the following sanctions.

■Regulation 17 (DISCIPLINE - FOUL PLAY): Details of the Incident

Player: Manie Libbok

Team: HANAZONO KINTETSU LINERS

Date of Incident: 14 March 2026

Nature of Offence: 

 YC① Law 9.7(a) – A player must not: a. Intentionally infringe any law of the game. 

 YC②③ Law 9.13 –A player must not tackle an opponent early, late or dangerously. Dangerous tackling includes, but is not limited to, tackling or attempting to tackle an opponent above the line of the shoulders even if the tackle starts below the line of the shoulders.  

Sanctions: No additional Sanctions

* Cumulative yellow card remains (YC②)

* Appendix A. Player receives three Temporary Suspensions and/or Citing Commissioner Warnings in a Tournament/Series or five in a Sevens Series 

2. The Judicial Officer or Judicial Committee may, however, decide to apply no sanction in the following circumstances: 

(b)    exceptional circumstances exist which would warrant no sanction being imposed. This situation could arise when: 

(ii)     some of the Temporary Suspensions were awarded for technical offences (that is, not Foul Play) following a team warning by the referee or for what are characterised as so-called technical offences not involving a breach of Laws 9.11 to 9.28 inclusive. 

The Act and Elapsed time in match when incident occurred: 

　　　YC① Intentionally infringe law of the game[vs Kyushudenryoku KyudenVoltex 14 March 33:00]

           YC② The act by which the player in question caused his head to collide directly with the head of KYUSHU KV No. 23  [vs Kyushudenryoku KyudenVoltex 14 March 30:00 into the 2nd half]

【References】
JAPAN RUGBY LEAGUE ONE “Official Match Guidelines 2024-25” (JP only)
https://league-one.s3.ap-northeast-1.amazonaws.com/file/menu/11248_6724a704ea4a2.pdf
Japan Rugby Football Union “Regulation of Sanctions for Foul Play” (JP only)
https://rugby-japan.s3.ap-northeast-1.amazonaws.com/file/html/169467_6560879583b90.pdf
World Rugby　Regulation17 DISCIPLINE - FOUL PLAY
https://www.world.rugby/organisation/governance/regulations/reg-17