Uruguay hooker Myszka banned 13 games for tackle that left Chile's Shea Duret needing two surgeries

Uruguayan hooker Joaquín Myszka has been handed a 13-game suspension after a dangerous no-arms tackle during the Americas Rugby Championship left Chilean prop Emilio Shea Duret requiring two surgeries. South America Rugby confirmed the ban eight days after the incident, which occurred in the 52nd minute of the Chile XV versus Uruguay XV match, a game Los Teros’ secondary side lost 33-12.

Myszka’s low tackle on Shea Duret brought play to a halt for several minutes as medical staff attended to the Chilean prop before he was carried from the field. Referee Federico Longobardi immediately showed Myszka a red card. The stoppage also triggered a scuffle involving players from both sides, leading Longobardi to eject Chile’s Clemente Saavedra and Uruguay’s Lucas Bianchi for their roles in the confrontation.

The disciplinary panel initially set Myszka’s suspension at 26 weeks, but reduced it to 13 after considering mitigating factors — among them the player’s admission of guilt and a formal apology. Chile had been reported to be considering an appeal, but on 5 September confirmed it had accepted the final ruling.

The Chilean Rugby Union confirmed that Shea Duret will undergo two operations and expressed hope that he will be fit for the next Rugby World Cup, though his recovery timeline is expected to leave little margin before the tournament begins.

For Myszka, the consequences extend well beyond the Americas Rugby Championship. The 24-year-old will miss the remainder of that competition, the Uruguayan club season, and the November Nations Cup window. He will also be absent from Uruguay’s Northern Hemisphere tour in November, where Los Teros are scheduled to face Spain, Zimbabwe, and Portugal — a significant blow for a player who scored seven tries in July.

Myszka is not expected to return until mid-2027, leaving him a narrow window to stake his claim for a place in the Uruguay squad ahead of the next Rugby World Cup.