Former Wasps hooker Phil Greening to pay out £30,000 in damages to Clermont wing Aurélien Rougerie for an injury caused in 2002.
Former England hooker ordered to pay £30k to Rougerie
Former Wasps hooker Phil Greening has been ordered to pay out £30,000 in damages to Clermont wing Aurélien Rougerie for an injury caused in 2002.
Rougerie was hospitalised for 12 weeks and needed three operations to repair his windpipe after being injured in a pre-season friendly match between his club at the time, Montferrand, and Greening's Wasps five years ago.
The French international had initially sued Greening for £45,000 for the loss of income, with Rougerie being sidelined from top-flight rugby until December 2002.
And although awarding a lesser figure, the court agreed with the 27-year-old Clermont captain that Greening had fouled him both technically and against the spirit of the game.
Rougerie's lawyer Gilles-Jean Portejoie was delighted with the ruling, saying: "It's a strong sign given by the court, and as far as I am aware, a first for this type of affair."
Greening, who was capped 24 times by England, had been part of the National Sevens set-up before taking up a career outside the game.
