The three-quarter center of the XV of France, Jonathan Danty, was excluded on Sunday in Lille against Italy (13-13), before the end of the first half, for a high tackle which had caused a head against head with his counterpart Juan Ignacio Brex. The Stade Rochelais player received a yellow card, which turned into a red a few minutes later, after using the bunker.
Jonathan Danty was heard this Tuesday by videoconference by an independent judicial commission chaired by Jennifer Donovan (Ireland), assisted by former internationals Stefan Terblanche (South Africa) and Leon Lloyd (England). He received a five-week suspension, which could be reduced to four weeks if he completes an awareness workshop set up by World Rugby on dangerous tackles.
In a press release, the organizer of the competition explains that “the disciplinary committee concluded that the incident justified an average entry point of six weeks of suspension. Extenuating circumstances (apologies from the player, admission of guilt and good behavior at the hearing) were applied, reducing the six-week entry point by two weeks. However, an additional week was added for aggravating factors (the player’s disciplinary record), which resulted in a five-week suspension.
The three-quarter center of the Blues will therefore miss the trip of the XV of France to Wales (or the match against Stade Français in Top 14), the reception of England in Lyon, at the end of the Tournament, as well as the two championship matches against Bayonne and La Rochelle. The reduction of his suspension could – it is a lesser evil – allow him to participate in the round of 16 of the Champion against the Stormers in Cape Town, on April 6.
Jonathan Danty is the second French player to have received a red card during this 2024 Tournament, after Paul Willemse excluded against Scotland. Since the competition expanded to six nations with the integration of Italy in 2000, France has held the sad record for the number of red cards received in the Six Nations: 6, including five since the arrival of Fabien Galthié in 2020 (Haouas and Willemse, twice each, and therefore Danty). For comparison, Wales have received no red cards over the same period.