Independent Disciplinary Update: Masahiro Eriguchi Decision

A yellow card was issued to Masahiro Eriguchi of the Kyushudenryoku KyudenVoltex at the match between Toyota Industries Corporation Shuttles Aichi and Kyushudenryoku KyudenVoltex held on 5 April 2025. This was the third yellow card accumulated by Eriguchi 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: Masahiro Eriguchi

Team:Kyushudenryoku KyudenVoltex

Date of Incident: 5 April 2025

Nature of Offence: 

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

          Law 9.16 －A player must not charge or knock down an opponent carrying the ball without attempting to grasp that player.

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

 YC③ 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 cards remain (YC② and ③)

* 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 HINO RD 18 Jan 25:00 into the 2nd half]

           YC② The player hit the victim player'(No.11 of RH OSAKA)s head and neck with his shoulder[vs RH OSAKA 9 Feb 38:00] 

           YC③ The player made a high tackle to the victim player(No.20 of S AICHI) [vs S AICHI 5 April 25:00 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