Gloucester hooker Olivier Azam has been banned for 12 weeks after pleading guilty to kicking England captain Steve Borthwick.
Gloucester man pleads guilty to kicking England captain
Gloucester hooker Olivier Azam has been banned for 12 weeks after pleading guilty to kicking England captain Steve Borthwick in the eye.
The Frenchman made contact with the eye of the England skipper as Gloucester were beaten by Saracens in the Guinness Premiership on September 27.
Azam pleaded guilty to kicking and the Rugby Football Union have responded by handing out a 12-week ban from all rugby which rules Azam out until 2010.
Azam had only just returned to action for Gloucester after serving out a nine-week ban for eye-gouging when he clashed with Borthwick.
He will now not be able to play again until December 29, which rules him out of Gloucester's first four Heineken Cup matches and six Premiership games.
Gloucester's next match after December 29 is the home league clash against Worcester on January 2.
The Cherry and Whites have until midday on Friday to decide whether to appeal.
Double trouble
Gloucester will also be without lock Adam Eustace for three weeks, as he was suspended for stamping on Justin Marshall in the same match.
His suspension brings the number of players Gloucester have had banned to four from the opening five matches of the season.
Captain Gareth Delve had a three-week ban for punching reduced to two weeks on appeal, while flanker Andy Hazell has already been forced to sit out a week for stamping.
Eustace's three-week ban rules him out of the Heineken Cup fixtures against Newport Gwent Dragons and Biarritz, plus the league game against Wasps.
He will next be available for the Cherry and Whites' Premiership trip to Sale on October 30.
