Not the Best news for Neil
Mon, 06 Oct 2008 23:01
Northampton Saints' Ireland flank Neil Best had his appeal against an 18-week suspension for eye-gouging dismissed by a Rugby Football Union (RFU) panel on Monday.
As a result, the 29-year-old loose forward remains suspended until January 27.
The lengthy ban means Best will miss his country's November internationals against Canada, New Zealand and Argentina. It also places in doubt his participation in the Six Nations, as the ban expires just a week before Ireland get their campaign underway.
He will also miss eight rounds of the Saints' Guinness Premiership campaign and all of their European Challenge Cup and EDF Energy Cup pool matches.
Best was suspended last Wednesday, after admitting he had "made contact with the eye or eye area" of Wasps flank James Haskell during Saints' 24-20 victory at Franklin's Gardens.
It was only Best's third game for the club following his off-season move from Ulster.
The RFU panel accepted Best had not intentionally searched for Haskell's eye.
However, they did not agree with Best's account that contact with Haskell's eye had been "fleeting" and described his actions as "grave".
Northampton decided to challenge the ban after taking legal advice, but the RFU appeal panel threw out their case at a London hearing on Monday.
The appeal against the sanction was heard by a RFU Appeal Panel of Ian Mill, John Doubleday and Robert Horner.
* Meanwhile Chris Horsman of Worcester Warriors has been charged with kicking Harlequins' Mike Ross during the Guinness Premiership match at Sixways last Thursday, October 2.
The prop was cited for an offence contrary to 10.4(c) by the independent citing officer Rob Hardwick and will appear before a RFU Disciplinary Panel on Thursday, October 9.
The panel will comprise Christopher Quinlan (Chairman), John Doubleday and Paul Murphy.
