Independent Disciplinary Update: Sanaila Waqa Decision

Sanaila Waqa of the HANAZONO KINTETSU LINERS was sent off for two yellow cards at the match between HANAZONO KINTETSU LINERS and Toyota Industries Corporation Shuttles Aichi held on 10 May 2026. This was the third yellow card accumulated by Waqa 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: Sanaila Waqa

Team: HANAZONO KINTETSU LINERS

Date of Incident: 10 May 2026

Nature of Offence: 

 YC①② Law 9.7(a) – A player must not: a. Intentionally infringe any law of the game. 

 YC③ Law 9.12 – A player must not physically abuse anyone. 

Sanctions: No additional Sanctions

* 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: 

　　　YC①② Intentionally infringe law of the game[①vs HINO RED DOLPHINS 10 January 15:00 into the 2nd half]  [②vs NIPPON STEEL KAMAISHI SEAWAVES 7 March 16:00 into the 2nd half]

　　　YC③ The player punced the No.1 of S AICHI [vs Toyota Industries Corporation Shuttles Aichi 10 May 34:00]

【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