Gloucester flanker Andy Hazell given 14-week ban

By ANDREW BALDOCK
Published on 26/10/2012 00:00

FORMER England flanker Andy Hazell has been hit with a 14-week suspension.

The Gloucester forward was sent off for hitting an opponent during his team’s Amlin Challenge Cup victory over Mont-de-Marsan in France earlier this month.

Hazell’s case was heard in Dublin yesterday. Hazell, who pleaded guilty to striking Mont-de-Marsan’s Sebastien Ormaechea, cannot play again until January 21.

The player gave evidence and made submissions to independent judicial officer Roger Morris, together with Gloucester rugby director Nigel Davies and ERC disciplinary officer Roger O’Connor.

Immediately after the game, which Gloucester won 11-6, Davies suggested that Hazell had reacted to extreme provocation from a Mont-de-Marsan player or players. The Aviva Premiership club provided photographic evidence of marks around Hazell’s eyes, but no citing complaints were subsequently made by match commissioner John West, who could not find sufficient video evidence of foul play.

In a statement, ERC said: “The judicial officer [Morris] determined that Hazell had intentionally struck Ormaechea with both the fist and the knee.

“Having also determined that any suspensions he would impose for the offences would run concurrently, the judicial officer decided on a top-end entry point of 16 weeks.

“Taking into account aggravating factors, he added a further two weeks given Hazell’s disciplinary record and his failure to uphold the image of the game.

“Then following consideration of Hazell’s guilty plea and his exemplary conduct during the hearing, the judicial officer deducted four weeks before imposing a suspension of 14 weeks.”