The full written decision is worth reading as to how the charge was dismissed.
https://www.world.rugby/organisation/governance/discipline
Particular mention on the actions of the French player in point 7.
The Committee’s findings of fact are:
1. Both the Player and the French player are in low crouching positions immediately before the contact as the Player prepares to make the tackle and the French player braces for contact.
2. The Player’s initial contact in the tackle on the French player is shoulder to shoulder with his left arm wrapping around the body of the French player.
3. The French player’s head is seen to tilt forward in the initial contact with the momentum of the tackle twisting the French player to his right.
4. The Player’s shoulder moves up in the momentum of the tackle to make contact with the neck region of the French player after the initial contact.
5. No contact is made by the Player on the French player higher than the neck region.
6. As shown by stills C and D on page 11 of the Player’s Counsel’s submissions, a shadow (only visible when a gap allows light through) is able to be seen under the head of the French player and on the back of the Player during and through the initial tackle contact
7. The French player grabs at his face and falls to the ground but no contact was made in the tackle by the Player to the area he grabbed.
8. There was contact to the neck by the shoulder of the Player in the tackle secondary to the initial tackle, breaching rule 9.13.
9. There was no intentional foul play, nor was it reckless, the contact occurred in a fluid tackle resulting in contact by the Player’s shoulder to the neck of the French player.
https://www.world.rugby/organisation/governance/discipline
Particular mention on the actions of the French player in point 7.
The Committee’s findings of fact are:
1. Both the Player and the French player are in low crouching positions immediately before the contact as the Player prepares to make the tackle and the French player braces for contact.
2. The Player’s initial contact in the tackle on the French player is shoulder to shoulder with his left arm wrapping around the body of the French player.
3. The French player’s head is seen to tilt forward in the initial contact with the momentum of the tackle twisting the French player to his right.
4. The Player’s shoulder moves up in the momentum of the tackle to make contact with the neck region of the French player after the initial contact.
5. No contact is made by the Player on the French player higher than the neck region.
6. As shown by stills C and D on page 11 of the Player’s Counsel’s submissions, a shadow (only visible when a gap allows light through) is able to be seen under the head of the French player and on the back of the Player during and through the initial tackle contact
7. The French player grabs at his face and falls to the ground but no contact was made in the tackle by the Player to the area he grabbed.
8. There was contact to the neck by the shoulder of the Player in the tackle secondary to the initial tackle, breaching rule 9.13.
9. There was no intentional foul play, nor was it reckless, the contact occurred in a fluid tackle resulting in contact by the Player’s shoulder to the neck of the French player.
