Manu Tuilagi hit with five-week ban for punching Chris Ashton

Leicester centre Manu Tuilagi has received a five-week ban for punching Northampton wing Chris Ashton during last Saturday's Aviva Premiership play-off clash at Welford Road.

The suspension rules England World Cup candidate Tuilagi out of Tigers' Premiership final appointment with Saracens on 28 May.

He will also miss England Saxons' entire Churchill Cup campaign next month, which would have provided a shop window for him prior to England's World Cup warm-up Tests in August.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The ban starts today and expires on 23 June. Tuilagi admitted the charge.

Tuilagi, 20 yesterday, appeared before a three-man Rugby Football Union disciplinary panel in central London after being cited for punching England star Ashton. Both players were sin-binned by referee Wayne Barnes.

The RFU revealed last night that Tuilagi's case had been dealt with as a top level entry point. But an initial ten-week ban was reduced by 50 per cent due to provocation - namely, an Ashton push - the governing body said.

Tuilagi aimed three punches at Ashton, the latter a crunching right hook that left Northampton's prolific try-scorer requiring stitches to a cut near his left eye.

Tuilagi was subsequently reported by independent citing officer Alan Mansell, and he must now sit out Leicester's bid for an eighth Premiership title in a repeat of last season's final. The provocation line is likely to stun Ashton and the Northampton club, as he appeared to do little wrong.

Had Tuilagi received a ten-week ban, then it would have threatened his availability for the August games against Wales (home and away] and Ireland.

England manager Martin Johnson has to announce his New Zealand-bound World Cup squad by the cut-off date of 22 August.