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Attoub handed 70 week ban

rugby19 January 2010:  The Stade Francais prop David Attoub has been banned for 70 weeks after being found guilty of gouging.  Photographic evidence showed the 28-year-old making contact with the eyes of Ulster forward David Ferris in a Heineken Cup match on 12th December.  The suspension is one of the longest in European rugby.  Attoub will appeal against the punishment but if unsuccessful he will not be eligible to play again until 22 April 2011. 

In his judgement the judicial officer Jeff Blackett said: "This is the worst act of contact with the eyes that I have had to deal with - it is a case of deliberate eye gouging which caused significant distress and some injury to the victim. The sanction must be such to make other players stop and think before someone suffers a really serious eye injury."

Attoub's team-mate Julien Dupuy is currently serving a 23-week ban for another gouging incident in the same match.

We can understand the extreme pressure on teams to win, but for players to try to injure their opponents in the process?  Is a 70-week ban enough or should a lifetime ban be the ultimate sanction?

 
 
Rugby rocked by Quins fake blood admission
rugby24 August:  Rugby Union has been rocked after London-based club Harlequins admitted faking a blood injury to allow a substitute player on the field.  The former Quins boss and former England international, Dean Richards, received a worldwide three year ban earlier this month for his part in the scandal.  In last season's Heineken Cup match against Leinster, Quins winger Tom Williams bit on a fake blood capsule to dupe officials, allowing specialist goal-kicker Nick Evans to enter the field.  Williams was also banned, orginally for one year reduced to four months on appeal and club physiotherapist Steph Brennan was handed a two year ban.  Quins also received a fine of £213,000.  Players have claimed faking blood injuries is not uncommon and the RFU has set up a "game-wide taskforce" to review the practice.
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Springboks head Tri-Nations table
rugby10 August:  World champions South Africa are on course for the Tri-Nations title.  On Saturday they came from behind to overcome Australia 29-17 in Cape Town.  That makes it three wins out of three for the Springboks and although all their matches so far have been at home they have established themselves at the top of the table and will be hard to shift.  Morne Steyn kicked 24 points - seven penalties and a drop goal - bringing his tally to 55 points in two matches after scoring all 31 points in a record-breaking effort against New Zealand a week earlier.  The Spingboks now head to Australia and New Zealand for their final three matches, the first of which sees them in action against Australia on 29th August.
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