Bundee Aki's eight-week ban sparks debate over fairness of judiciary

Irish international Bundee Aki has been handed a monster eight-week ban after being found guilty of foul play in an appearance for his club in Ireland, a decision that's already drawn comparisons to Wallabies lock Darcy Swain's lesser six-week ban that's sidelined All Black Quinn Tupaea for nine months.

Aki, a former Counties and Chiefs midfielder, was found guilty of charging into a ruck without binding onto another player in that ruck and as a result will miss the entirety of Ireland's Autumn fixtures; including matches against South Africa, Australia and Fiji.

The decision by the United Rugby Championship judiciary ruled that Aki's act was reckless and warranted a red card. The panel said that the action alone made it a mid-range infringement, however, his subsequent behaviour towards the referee bumped it up to a top-end offence.

The player Aki cleaned out in the ruck, Stormers winger Seabelo Senatla, now faces four to six months on the sidelines, according to South Africa Rugby Magazine.

The incident comes on the heels of Swain's six-week ban for targeting the exposed leg of Tupaea in a ruck, during the first Bledisloe test of 2022. Swain's act was also considered mid-range and the Sanzaar judiciary ruled it deserved a red card, however, it also said that Swain's actions were not intentional.

Now Swain's six-week ban, compared to Aki's eight weeks, has sparked debate online about the fairness of rugby judiciaries - especially when considering the injuries their actions have inflicted on opposing players.

However, another talking point that's arisen from both incidents is the general danger that defenders face in the ruck area, especially when attempting to turn the ball over by way of a "jackal".

Rugby Coach Weekly describes the jackal as: "The player who 'steals' the ball at the tackle often will find that as he picks up the ball the opposition support players arrive and try to knock him back off it.

"To keep possession he needs to stay in a strong, low position and pull the ball into his chest. As he is knocked back he protects the ball by turning his body so he lands facing his own team and on his side."

Rugby union lobby group Progressive Rugby commented in the wake of Aki's ban, saying a law change is required around the jackal.

"Why Bundee-gate is further evidence that the jackal (regrettably) has to be consigned to the past," the group posted on Twitter.

"To add insult to er... injury, the clearers other option - to roll the jacklar out - carries with it significant risk of lower limb injury.

"This all adds up to the jackal being unsustainable and in our eyes it's a surprise that this 'sitting duck' situation has not already been outlawed."

Even Stormers head coach John Dobson had sympathy for Aki, saying: "I feel a bit sorry for Aki, because I know what he's trying to do."

Former Irish Pro14 player Paddy McAllister also said via Twitter that Aki was in a Catch-22 situation: "Imagine the review Monday morning 'Bundee why didn't you blast that ruck' sorry coach I thought I should let him get the turnover because I thought he was in a low position and I know Mack made a good line break but I'd rather park up beside the ruck and conceded the turnover."

However, McAllister also had his opponents.

The only silver lining for Aki is that he has the chance to reduce his sentence to seven weeks by completing a World Rugby coaching intervention programme, putting him in line to face Australia in Dublin.

Meanwhile, Swain will be available to play for Australia in the final three test matches of their northern tour - against Italy, Ireland and Wales - after he was named in an Australia A side that tours Japan in October just before his ban was announced, effectively shortening his stint on the sidelines by three games.

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission