Wednesday 21 September 2016 10:49, UK
Saracens winger Chris Ashton has been banned for 13 weeks after being found guilty of biting Northampton's Alex Waller.
Ashton appeared before a Rugby Football Union disciplinary panel on Tuesday evening to answer the charges of acts against good sportsmanship under law 10.4(m).
The England international, a former Saints player, was alleged to have bitten opposing prop Waller in two incidents in the 24th and 25th minutes of their Aviva Premiership clash on Saturday. Saracens won the match 27-12.
Waller complained to referee Greg Garner straight after the incidents with Northampton coach Jim Mallinder saying: "He (Waller) just repeated what he said to the referee, in that he had been bitten on the hand."
Ashton, 29, contested both counts and was found guilty of only the first - he is free to play again on December 19.
The chairman of the panel Philip Evans QC said: "Having considered detailed evidence, the panel concluded that during the course of a ruck Chris Ashton bit the arm of Alex Waller at a time that Mr Waller was attempting to clear him out.
"The panel concluded it was a low-end entry point aggravated by his previous record."
Ashton had already served a 10-week ban earlier this year, being suspended when he was found guilty of making contact with the eye of Ulster's Luke Marshall during a European Rugby Champions Cup game in January.
Ashton, who will not be available to play for his club again until December 19, may now struggle to force his way back into the England fold.
He has scored 19 tries for England during his career but has not represented his country since 2014 and missed out on coach Eddie Jones's 45-man elite player squad that was named last month.
