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Romania and Spain will appeal their respective RWC disqualification verdicts at a special hearing on Friday, June 1. World Rugby confirmed that both European countries have officially made appeals to overturn the punishments handed down them on May 15.
World Rugby appointed an independent Judicial and Disputes committee over the case following the scandal which engulfed Rugby Europe Championship matches which doubled as RWC qualifiers.
The decision which Romania and Spain are appealing against is their respective use of ineligible players in the qualifiers which led to Russia qualifying by default after Romania and Spain were deemed to have cheated.
Romania, Spain and Belgium were also handed a mandatory £25,000 fines for each ineligible player used, or in the case of Romania £100,000 as they are part of the World Rugby Council.
Belgium fielded five ineligible players on that time, Spain two, and Romania one. The penalties levied were as follows:
– Spain: 40 point deduction (8 games) plus £50,000 fine (2 players)
– Romania: 30 point deduction (6 games) plus £100,000 fine (1 player, FRR on WR Council)
– Belgium: 30 point deduction (6 games) plus £125,000 fine (5 players)
Romania and Spain responded by delivering formal submissions to World Rugby in accordance with the Appeal Committee’s directions.
Romania admits to having breached World Rugby Regulation 8 though is nonetheless appealing the sanction. The player is question is Sione Faka’osilea who was captured by his native Tonga after playing 7’s.
Spain’s appeal is two-fold. The FER is challenging the independent Disputes Committee’s decision to (a) deem that the Belgium vs Spain match should not be replayed; and (b) that two ineligible players were fielded during the European Rugby World Cup 2019 qualification process.
The appeal will be heard on Friday June 01 by an independent Appeals Committee comprising of World Rugby’s independent Judicial Panel Chairman Christopher Quinlan QC (chair), former USA international and World Rugby Hall of Fame inductee Phaidra Knight and chair of the EPCR Independent Disciplinary Panel Mike Hamlin.
