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Pumas fullback Mallia suspended for two weeks for foul play after ‘reckless’ and ‘dangerous’ challenge on Williams

Pumas fullback Mallia suspended for two weeks for foul play after ‘reckless’ and ‘dangerous’ challenge on Williams
Pumas fullback Juan Cruz Mallia and Bok counterpart Willie le Roux clash during during the Rugby Championship match at Ellis Park on 29 July. Mallia was lucky to stay n the field after a reckless challenge on Grant Williams. (Photo: Wessel Oosthuizen/Gallo Images)
Craig Ray
By Craig Ray
4 Aug 2023
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Despite escaping any sanction during last weekend’s Rugby Championship Test between the Springboks and Pumas, Argentina fullback Juan Cruz Mallia has been suspended.

Argentina fullback Juan Cruz Mallia has received a two-week suspension for his reckless challenge on Springbok scrumhalf Grant Williams just seconds into last Saturday’s Test match at Ellis Park.

Mallia chased the kick-off and launched himself at full speed in an attempted charge down. Williams managed to get a kick away and his clearance grazed Mallia’s thigh, who was in mid-air at high velocity at the time.

The Pumas fullback’s hip caught Williams on the side of the head with huge force, knocking the Bok halfback unconscious before he hit the ground.

Irish referee Andrew Brace did not award a penalty and believed it was a “rugby incident” and that Mallia was “committed” when he attempted a charge down. Mallia played on as the Boks hung on to win 22-21.

Juan Cruz Mallia Pumas fullback Juan Cruz Mallia and Bok counterpart Willie le Roux clash during during the Rugby Championship match at Ellis Park on 29 July. Mallia was lucky to stay n the field after a reckless challenge on Grant Williams. (Photo: Wessel Oosthuizen/Gallo Images)



The incident didn’t look good in real time and it was surprising that the Pumas player escaped without so much as a penalty during the match.

Brace was operating within the framework and protocols laid out in the process, which states that if he believed no “foul play” occurred then there is no sanction. Brace clearly didn’t believe Mallia’s action to fall within the foul play definition, which was surprising.

But the Pumas man was cited after the match and the judicial hearing was less forgiving than the Irish referee. Not for the first time have referees been exposed by subsequent judicial hearings.

Reckless and dangerous


“The judicial committee considered the act of foul play was reckless, with a high degree of danger and had a considerable impact on the victim player,” the South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and Argentina Rugby (Sanzaar) judgement read.

The Sanzaar Judicial Committee of Nigel Hampton KC (Chairman), David Croft and Ofisa Tonu’u assessed the case.

In their findings, the committee stated: “Having conducted a detailed review of all the available evidence, including all camera angles and additional evidence, including from the player, the Argentinian coach and the match referee, as well as submissions from his legal representative, Aaron Lloyd, the Foul Play Review Committee upheld the citing under Law 9.11.

“The Committee considered all relevant factors of World Rugby’s Head Contact Process and sanctioning table.

“But given the evidence from both the referee and the coach as to how successful charge downs of kicks are viewed by match officials and as to how coaching of players is conducted as a consequence, the Committee decided that a mid-range sanction would be wholly disproportionate to the player’s fault and that the foul play merited a low-range entry point of 2 weeks.”

Mallia will miss this Saturday's World Cup warm-up between Argentina and Springboks in Buenos Aires but will now be available for the Pumas’ opening game of Rugby World Cup 2023 against England in Marseille on 9 September. DM

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