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Mon 2 Oct 2017 | 11:10
Kyle Sinckler ban looks likely after citing for alleged eye gouge

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Comments

England and Harlequins prop Kyle Sinckler has an anxious wait to see if he will be found guilty of making contact with the eye area of Northampton Saints second rower Michael Paterson. Paterson made the claim during their Aviva Premiership clash this past weekend.

TMO footage was fairly inconclusive, although Sinckler could be seen pulling Paterson's headgear off his head, then placing his hand very close to the eyes.

Paterson himself told referee Luke Pearce that he was '100 percent' sure that he felt a finger in his eye, which prompted the TMO review and a number of camera angles to be shown.

Only a penalty was given, but as was clearly explained at the time, the post match citing process is there to find incidents such as this one.

The Independent Citing Commissioner, Chris Catling, did indeed cite Sinckler and he is due to appear before a RFU disciplinary panel on Tuesday, charged with allegedly making contact with the eye and/or eye area of Paterson, contrary to law 10.4(m).

The hearing will take place in Bristol on Tuesday 3 October at 6:30pm.

Harlequins boss John Kingston denied any wrongdoing: "Unequivocally, it was not a gouge. Absolutely not. Kyle said he made contact with Paterson’s head gear.

"He can’t do that. There was a purge on it a couple of years ago because it’s the sort of thing that cheeses people off, so leave headgear alone."

Kingston went on to state that Dave Ward received the black eye - that can also be seen in the video - due to some foul play that was not spotted.

"I have to say... my hooker has got a rather nasty eye and I know how it happened because he’s told me - and I believe him. I'm pretty disappointed about that and he’s not happy about it," Kingston added.

In the same match, Harlequins' George Merrick charged into a ruck illegally during the closing stages, and has since been issued a citing commissioners warning, which is the equivalent of an off-field yellow card. That was for contravening law 10.4(h).

UPDATE (04/10/2017): Sinckler has been banned for 7 weeks

credit: rawrugby

Posted By: Grant Constable

9 Comments

  • rugbydump
    9:47 AM 04/10/2017

    7 week ban

  • im1
    9:47 AM 04/10/2017

    So Sinkler gets 7 weeks for making contact with the eye area. Went in at lower end based on evidence. Would have been halved to 6 but had a minor blemish on his record. Seems about fair.... but, the papers all report that he is guilty of 'gouging'. Does anyone else think this is a bit harsh/outright wrong. He was guilty of making contact with the eye but not sticiking his finger in a giving it a wiggle.

  • im1
    9:41 AM 04/10/2017

    That's a fair point on Hartley, although I do think he got off lightly, as the incident was pretty minor. I do wonder though if the citing panel thought that Lancaster may still pick him as he would only have missed the game against Fiji. Perhaps Eddie Jones would have, and that is the difference between the two coaches

    The suggestion that the citing panel would have given Cueto a lenient ban probably shows how poor we were back in 2011! He was a decent international winger but that was about it and is most famous for not scoring in the RWC final.

    Yes, I do think it was rather 'fortunate' that Huget got injured, as although I wouldn't wish any player injury, he got what he deserved for it.

  • colombes
    7:53 PM 02/10/2017

    Selective memory isnt it? Dylan Hartley was suspended but was available for the rwc though... just not selected by the english staff.
    A bit like cueto receiving 12 weeks for an eyegouge, divided in 6 weeks to play the rwc 2011, i think.

    But you're right, huget was very lucky to escape a ban. I guess his knee injury was "his karma is a b***h" moment

  • dancarter
    6:16 PM 02/10/2017

    Hard to be certain it was intentional but it's definitely reckless, I think he will get a ban. Reminds me a bit of Ashton's eye gouge, didn't seem deliberate but had his hands in someone's face and made contact with their eyes.

  • im1
    4:53 PM 02/10/2017

    yes - Hartley was banned just prior to 2015 world cup for a pretty low level of head contact. About the same time Huget wasn't cited by the FFS for his stamp, if we are looking for precendent where a rugby authority has failed to ban their own national players for foul play just before international fixtures.

  • colombes
    3:33 PM 02/10/2017

    Maybe an eye-rake at 1:52
    Whatever... are we seriously thinking Sinckler will receive a ban from a rfu commission before european cup and november tests?

  • winger1
    3:04 PM 02/10/2017

    Seems to be Sincklers playing mode recently, a bit of a thug IMO . You can play hard without being thuggish.

  • drg
    1:03 PM 02/10/2017

    Probably reckless if anything...not clever way to play and clearly something that lines up with Sincklers fairly recent stupidity...

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