Ryan Wilson suspended for three months by SRU

Ryan Wilson has been suspended for three months. Picture: PA

The Warriors forward was fined £750 at Glasgow Sheriff Court last week after being found guilty of attacking two Glasgow Hawks players in a fast-food shop in the west end of the city while dressed as Batman during a Halloween night out on 27 October last year. Charges against Wilson’s team-mates Ryan Grant and Rory Hughes were not proven, with the former a late call-up for Vern Cotter’s Six Nations squad after the trial had been completed.

The national governing body has also handed Wilson a longer international ban, until 23 August, which theoretically means the 25-year-old would be available for the Rugby World Cup in England which starts a few weeks later. However, having missed the Six Nations this season and the first two World Cup warm-up games at the start of next, it must cast doubt on his participation in the sport’s global showpiece. Wilson, who has played for Glasgow since 2010 and has nine caps, fronted a disciplinary panel comprising three members of the Scottish Rugby Board yesterday. After the hearing Wilson was told that the following sanctions had been imposed:

l Suspension with immeditate effect, without pay, from training with, and playing for, Glasgow Warriors for a period of three months.

l Ordered to undertake a programme organised through Glasgow Warriors and Scottish Rugby to support his personal development around the factors which contributed to the original conviction.

Wilson has the right to appeal the panel’s findings.

It is believed the punishment will cost the player in the region of £25,000 in lost earnings. Although it has been made clear Wilson does not have issues with drinking, it is understood that an element of the programme he will undergo will focus on alcohol awareness.

The disciplinary panel also ruled that the Aldershot-born player “will not be invited to play for the Scotland national team until 23 August”. That means he will miss the two warm-up games for the World Cup against Ireland on 15 August and Italy on 22 August. He will be available for the third game against Italy on 29 August and a final friendly against France in Paris on 5 September.