'A big learning' - Edinburgh Rugby react to Mosese Tuipulotu ban
Centre to miss Dragons match and Challenge Cup tie but offered chance to reduce suspension
Sean Everitt hopes Mosese Tuipulotu will learn his lesson after the Edinburgh centre was given a three-game suspension for his red card in the loss to Benetton last weekend.
Tuipulotu was sent off for a dangerously high tackle near the end of the 23-21 defeat in the United Rugby Championship in Italy. The ban means he will miss Friday’s URC match against the Dragons and the following weeks’ EPCR Challenge Cup last-16 tie against the Emirates Lions.
Should Tuipulotu complete the World Rugby Coaching Intervention Programme, designed to improve tackle technique, then the sanction will be reduced by one week. If not, he will miss a third Edinburgh match, either a Challenge Cup quarter-final or their next URC game, against the Sharks.
“It’s a big learning for him and he's really disappointed in his actions,” said Everitt, the Edinburgh coach. “As we know, the game is so quick and there's so many of those head contacts at the moment. We've just got to be better at it and he'll learn from that.
“It came at a price as well. He's suspended for three games; after tackle school it comes down to two, but he misses the EPCR [v Lions in Challenge Cup], which is important for us as well.”
In Tuipulotu’s absence, Everitt has moved Matt Currie from wing to centre where he will partner James Lang against the Dragons. Edinburgh have brought six of their frontline Scotland players back for the game after resting them last weekend following the Six Nations. Darcy Graham, Duhan van der Merwe, Pierre Schoeman, Grant Gilchrist and Jamie Ritchie all start and hooker Dave Cherry is on the bench.
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