Harlequins prop Kyle Sinckler was last night handed a 7-week ban after a RFU disciplinary panel found him guilty of making contact with the eye and/or eye area of Michael Paterson during the Aviva Premiership clash with Northampton Saints last weekend.
Sinckler accepted the charge of contact with the eye and was given a seven week suspension by the independent panel. He is free to play again on the 21 November 2017
The Chairman of the panel Dan White said: “The panel heard evidence from the player as to his actions. They found that it was an intentional action but that due to the absence of injury it merited a low end entry point.
“The player has not got a clear record because of a suspension in 2015 and so the panel could not give full mitigation. The player will therefore be suspended for seven weeks and is free to play again on the 21 November 2017”
Sinckler released a statement after the outcome of the disciplinary hearing.
“I accept the outcome of the hearing and wanted to go on record to say I am sorry that I have let my team mates down, but more importantly I feel terrible that anyone would think I would deliberately gouge an opponent. That was never my intention – it was a genuine mistake and an act of recklessness on my part.
“I will spend the next seven weeks working hard on my fitness and rugby to ensure that when I am able to get back on the field I am fit and ready to do so and make the best possible contribution to Quins,” he said.
The England front rower will therefore miss selection for autumn internationals against Argentina and Australia, but be available for the November 25th Test match against Samoa at Twickenham.
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