One-week ban for Cox

EDINBURGH forward Sean Cox has been handed a week’s suspension after pleading guilty in an ERC Disciplinary hearing to striking Shontayne Hape of London Irish in last week’s Heineken Cup victory in Reading.

However, Hape has been given a four-week ban for the tackle which floored David Denton, the Edinburgh flanker, and put the youngster out of tonight’s match with Racing Metro with concussion. Hape pleaded guilty to foul play and, after the independent Judicial Officer Robert Williams from Wales determined that the act was in the mid-range of the level of seriousness, and that there were further aggravating factors, could have been suspended for seven weeks.

But, taking into account mitigating factors, including the player’s guilty plea, clean record and remorse, Williams cut the suspension to four weeks, which means he will be free to return on Thursday, 15 December and feature against Edinburgh in the return Pool 2 match at Murrayfield.

Cox, who had a running feud with Hape after coming on as a replacement for Denton, also had his suspension cut, from two weeks to one, on account of his guilty plea, clean record and remorse. He will miss tonight’s match but be free to return in Edinburgh’s next match, away to Munster in the RaboDirect Pro12, on Saturday week.

Perpignan’s France centre David Marty was also suspended yesterday for four weeks for a “spear tackle” on winger Gonzalo Camacho in the Amlin Challenge match with Exeter.