Foul-mouthed Armitage banned
Two-time defending European champions Toulon suffered a blow as utility back Delon Armitage was banned for 12 weeks, after being found guilty of misconduct following the stormy European Champions Cup defeat by Leicester.
The 31-year-old Englishman – whose teammate, Italian prop Martin Castrogiovanni, received a suspended four match ban and a fine for a post match rant – was found to have used offensive language towards spectators at Leicester's Welford Road ground.
The incidents came after Toulon's 21-25 defeat against the Tigers earlier this month.
The former England international pleaded not guilty to the charge, however, the independent disciplinary committee was satisfied he had directed abusive language to home fans after the match, albeit that he had been provoked.
Armitage, who has been pivotal to Toulon's success over the past couple of years, received an extra four weeks on the eight week ban because it was his second post-match misconduct case in four years.
The ban will see him miss the final two rounds of the European Champions Cup pool games and seven Top 14 matches.
An European Professional Club Rugby statement read: "Delon Armitage, the RC Toulon player, has been suspended for 12 weeks as a result of a misconduct complaint lodged against him by EPCR following his club's European Rugby Champions, Round 3 match against Leicester Tigers at Welford Road on December 7."
The Toulon player will be suspended until March 8, subject to appeals.
He was accompanied at the hearing by his legal representatives, Mark Milliken-Smith and Julian Pike, and by the Toulon team manager, Tom Whitford, and the Toulon player, Drew Mitchell.
Aside from his suspended ban Castrogiovanni was also ordered to pay €10,000 (£7,900) to charity in Leicester following his post-match comments aimed at the Premiership club – whom he used to play for – and their Director of Rugby Richard Cockerill.
His ban is suspended until April 30 2016, and will be activated "in the event of any off-field misconduct complaint being successfully brought against him," EPCR said.
The EPCR statement in full: " Armitage appeared before an independent Disciplinary Committee made up of Antony Davies (England, Chairman), Roger Morris (Wales) and Pat Barriscale (Ireland) in London on Wednesday, December 17. He was accompanied at the hearing by his legal representatives, Mark Milliken-Smith and Julian Pike, and by the Toulon Team Manager, Tom Whitford, and the Toulon player, Drew Mitchell.
"The misconduct complaint against Armitage was that during and after the match he was alleged to have conducted himself in an unsportsmanlike manner by making a number of comments to, or within earshot of, spectators using foul and abusive language and may have brought into disrepute the sport of Rugby Union, the European Rugby Champions Cup, other clubs and persons and/or EPCR in contravention of the Disciplinary Rules of the European Rugby Champions Cup Participation Agreement 2014/15.
"After considering evidence and hearing submissions on behalf of Armitage, who pleaded not guilty, and on behalf of the EPCR Disciplinary Officer, the independent Disciplinary Committee was not satisfied that a comment allegedly made by Armitage during the match had been made as the inconsistencies in the evidence were too great.
"However, the Committee was satisfied that Armitage had directed abusive language at Leicester Tigers supporters after the match, and while it found that his comments were provoked, the Committee decided he was guilty of misconduct.
"The Committee determined that the sanction entry point should be eight weeks, and as this was Armitage's second post-match misconduct case in the last four years, and as there were no mitigating factors, it decided to add four weeks to the ban before imposing a suspension of 12 weeks. Armitage was also ordered to pay costs.
"The suspension will run from December 17 until March 8, therefore Armitage will be free to play on March 9.
"Both the player and EPCR have the right to appeal the decision."
