Stamping duo banned
Biarritz Olympique hooker Benoit August has been suspended for four weeks for stamping in the Challenge Cup semifinal against Leinster last Saturday.
The Biarritz replacement No.2, August, appeared at an independent disciplinary hearing in Dublin.
August was alleged to have stamped or trampled on the Leinster back row Jamie Heaslip (No.8), during the second half of the semifinal at the RDS Arena.
The complaint was made by the match citing commissioner Ray Wilton (Wales).
According to law 10.4(b): A player must not stamp or trample on an opponent.
The independent judicial officer, Jeremy Summers (England), upheld the citing complaint after hearing evidence and submissions from ERC disciplinary officer Roger O'Connor.
August did not attend the hearing and was not represented.
The judicial officer found that August had stamped on Heaslip's thigh and that the offence warranted a red card.
He determined that the act was in the mid-range (five weeks) of the IRB's sanctioning regime and taking into account the player's good disciplinary record, he reduced the sanction by one week before imposing a suspension of four weeks.
As the suspension takes in the closed season, it will cover a one-week period from 29 April to 5 May – which means he will miss Biarritz's Top 14 encounter with Stade Francais on Saturday – and a further three weeks from 15 July to 5 August 2013, when pre-season matches may be scheduled.
Both the player and ERC have the right to appeal the decision.
* Meanwhile Perpignan second row Daniel Leo (No.4) has been suspended for two weeks, following a hearing in Dublin.
This arose from Perpignan's Challenge Cup semifinal against Stade Français last Friday.
Leo was alleged to have stamped or trampled on the Stade Français Paris hooker, Laurent Sempéré, during the second half of the semifinal at Stade Aimé Giral.
The complaint was made by the citing commissioner Iain Goodall (Scotland).
The judicial officer, Jeremy Summers (England), upheld the citing complaint after hearing evidence and submissions from Leo, who pleaded not guilty, and from ERC disciplinary officer, Roger O'Connor.
The judicial officer found that Leo had committed a reckless act that warranted a red card, but he also found that Sempéré had contributed to the incident in that he attempted to deliberately collapse a maul.
He determined that the act was in the lower end (two weeks) of the IRB's sanctioning regime and imposed a suspension of two weeks.
The first week of Leo's suspension ends on Sunday, May 5, and the second week of his ban runs from 1 June to 7 June – when Samoa have a scheduled fixture.
As he has not demonstrated that he has any playing commitments in the intervening period, Leo is also ineligible to play during that time.
He is free to play on June 8.
Both the player and ERC have the right to appeal the decision.
