Grewcock hit with seven-week ban
Thursday, 28 January 2010 21:18Bath lock Danny Grewcock has been suspended for seven weeks after being found guilty of stamping on Ulster flanker Stephen Ferris in last weekend's Heineken Cup tie at The Rec.
Grewcock was sent off in the 32nd minute of Bath's defeat after referee Jerome Garces saw the former England international stamp on Ferris' arm.
Independent judicial officer Jean-Noel Courard suspended Grewcock until 13 March after determining he was guilty of foul play at a disciplinary hearing in Dublin.
The standard suspension for a mid-range offence is five weeks but Grewcock was hit with an extra fortnight due to his poor disciplinary record.
Grewcock is no stranger to disciplinary hearings. He missed the 2007 Rugby World Cup after being suspended for six weeks for punching French lock Thibault Privat.
This latest verdict is yet another blow for Bath's troubled season, with Grewcock set to miss six matches, including Guinness Premiership fixtures against London Irish, Worcester, Saracens and Newcastle.
Earlier, London Irish number eight Chris Hala'ufia was banned for four weeks after pleading guilty to striking Leinster captain Leo Cullen.
Hala'ufia, the Tongan international, was cited following last Saturday's 11-11 draw at Twickenham, a result which ended the Exiles' Heineken Cup campaign.
The independent judicial officer Jean-Noel Couraud took into account Hala'ufia's admittance of guilty before banning him until 25 February.
