(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
Rugby World Cup 2025: Foul Play Review Committee Issues Sanctions for Samoa and Fiji Players
The Independent Foul Play Review Committee (FPRC) has reviewed red card incidents from the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 matches played on Saturday, 23 August. The committee considered cases involving Bulou Vasuturaga (Fiji) and Melina Grace Salale (Samoa).
The session, chaired by Adam Casselden (Australia) with members Jamie Corsi (Wales) and Stefan Terblanche (South Africa), was held on Sunday, 24 August 2025.
Bulou Vasuturaga (Fiji)
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Offence: Dangerous tackle (Law 9.13) in the match against Canada at York Community Stadium.
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Sanction: Three-match suspension, reduced to two matches if the player successfully completes a Coaching Intervention Programme.
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Reasoning: The committee found her tackle involved reckless shoulder-to-head contact with significant force, creating a high degree of danger.
Vasuturaga will now miss the remainder of Fiji’s pool stage matches at the Rugby World Cup in England.
Melina Grace Salale (Samoa)
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Offence: Dangerous tackle (Law 9.13) during Samoa’s match against Australia at Salford Community Stadium.
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Proposed Sanction: Three matches, reduced to two matches upon successful Coaching Intervention.
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Reasoning: The FPRC noted direct head-to-head contact at speed, ruling it as reckless with no mitigating factors under the Head Contact Process (HCP).
Unlike Vasuturaga, Salale has not accepted the proposed sanction. Her case will now be referred to a full disciplinary hearing scheduled for Monday, 25 August 2025.
About the FPRC Process
The FPRC has the authority to:
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Issue warnings
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Offer sanctions under Regulation 17
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Refer matters for full disciplinary hearings
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Dismiss red cards only in cases of mistaken identity
For both cases, the mid-range entry point of six matches was applied, before mitigation reduced the sanctions.
