Independent Disciplinary Update: James Tucker Decision

A yellow card was issued to James Tucker of the Yakult Levins Toda at the match between Yakult Levins Toda and MAZDA SKYACTIVS HIROSHIMA  held on 8 March 2025. This was the third yellow card accumulated by Tucker 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 2024-25’ 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: James Tucker

Team:Yakult Levins Toda 

Date of Incident: 8 Match 2025

Nature of Offence: 

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

          Law 9.8 － A team must not repeatedly commit the same offence. 

 YC② Law 9.12－A player must not physically abuse anyone.

 YC③ Law 9.7(a) －A player must not: a. Intentionally infringe any law of the game. 

Sanctions: No additional Sanctions

* A 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 Repeated infringements [vs SAYAMA RG 2 Feb 27:00 into the 2nd half]

           YC② The player stepped on the victim player(No.6 of WG AKISHIMA)'s left calf  [vs WG AKISHIMA 1 Mar 22:00]

           YC③ The player kept playing off feet and slapped a ball with his left hand after he made a tackle [vs SA HIROSHIMA 8 Mar 32:00]

【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