Geordan Murphy has received a three-match ban after charges relating to conduct at the final league game of the season were dealt with by an independent disciplinary panel.
Leicester Tigers head coach Murphy was charged with conduct prejudicial to the interests of the Union and the Game, contrary to RFU Rule 5.12.
Geordan Murphy has received a three-match ban after accepting charges relating to the final game of the season.https://t.co/kjVDuI2rkP
— Leicester Tigers (@LeicesterTigers) May 28, 2019
He was alleged to have verbally abused a match official following the Round 22 match against Bath and faced two charges. The first charge related to verbal abuse of a match official and the second was for failure to respect the authority of match officials, contrary to Law 9.28.
Murphy accepted both charges and the following sanction was imposed:
- Prohibited from coaching duties for three weeks
- Games to be served are the first three meaningful games of the 2019/20 season
- Pay a fine of £1,500 to be applied to a charity selected by the RFU Elite Referees Department
- Write a personal letter of apology to Sean Davey, copied to the other match officials appointed to the game
- Write open letter to Leicester players and officials apologising for his actions and making it clear that match official abuse is entirely inconsistent with the values of the game.
The hearing was dealt with on the papers by Jeremy Summers, the sole judicial officer.
Summers said: “While the disappointment of the club’s season is well known, criticising the TMO as Mr Murphy did was both wholly unacceptable and entirely inconsistent with the values of the game. Unfortunately match officials continue to be subject to improper attack and those that find themselves before disciplinary panels in respect of such conduct should expect to be sanctioned appropriately.”