Sean Cox awaits ERC ruling

SEAN Cox will discover today at an ERC disciplinary hearing in Dublin whether he might have an involvement in Edinburgh’s Heineken Cup match with Racing Metro tomorrow night.

The Edinburgh back row was cited for striking London Irish centre Shontayne Hape in Saturday’s win in Reading. Hape was also cited for a dangerous tackle on David Denton, which put the Edinburgh flanker out of the game after 20 minutes and ruled him out this week with concussion, and he will also discover his fate today.

Edinburgh coach Michael Bradley disagreed with a suggestion that Cox, Denton’s replacement, had shown the attitude the team needed in seemingly targeting Hape in response to the tackle on Denton.

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“You wouldn’t condone his action at all,” said Bradley. “What he did was wrong but if you’re saying we want our players to be abrasive and strong in the contact areas, and break tackles, within the law, absolutely.

“But we’re not advocating all-out brawl here. There’s no need for it. You answer everybody with the scoreboard at the end of the game.

“If that [Cox’s strike on Hape] was viewed differently by the referee and Sean was put off the pitch, and we were down to 14 men and wouldn’t have won the game, then who gets the benefit out of that?

“We need attitude but to dominate people with your play, for them see you as a side that won’t give you a rest on the pitch, will chase you down and look to dominate you in contact, but legally.

“Sean is in the squad at the moment, but [if he is not suspended] he won’t start. He’s lost a starting slot.”

Perpignan’s David Marty, who was cited for an alleged dangerous tackle on Exeter Chiefs’ Gonzalo Camacho, will also have his case heard today.

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