Nicotera and Vintcent to face hearings after red cards against Ireland

ITALY INTERNATIONALS ROSS Vintcent and Giacomo Nicotera will face independent disciplinary hearings tomorrow following their red cards during the Six Nations defeat to Ireland in Rome on Saturday.

Replacement back row Vintcent was shown a yellow card for his head-on-head tackle on Ireland fullback Hugo Keenan in the 49th minute, with that sanction upgraded to a 20-minute red card following an off-pitch review.

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Sub hooker Nicotera was shown a yellow card for charging into a ruck and making contact with Peter O’Mahony’s head in the 79th minute, with the sanction also upgraded to a red card upon off-pitch review.

As a result, both Italian players will be part of independent disciplinary hearings tomorrow.

A disciplinary committee made up of Wales’ Simon Thomas, Val Toma of Romania, and Martyn Wood of England will be in charge of Nicotera’s hearing at midday on Tuesday 18 March.

Nicotera’s red card will be reviewed for foul play contrary to Law 9.20a: “A player must not charge into a ruck or maul. Charging includes any contact made without binding onto another player in the ruck or maul.”

The same independent disciplinary panel will then lead the Vincent hearing from 2pm on Tuesday 18 March, with the Italian player having been red carded for an act of foul play contrary to Law 9.13: “A player must not tackle an opponent early, late or dangerously.”