Armitage gets three week ban for punching

DELON ARMITAGE of London Irish was this evening banned for three weeks for striking Northampton Saints’ Stephen Myler with his hand during the Aviva Premiership match at the Madejski Stadium on April 23.

Armitage, who pleaded guilty, was suspended from May 4 to May 10 and May 24 to June 6 by an RFU Disciplinary Panel of Jeremy Summers (chair), Philip Evans and Peter Budge. 

Summers: This offence was assessed at being at the low end of the scale of seriousness, and as such led to an entry point suspension of two weeks.

“The player’s record, and the fact that he had recently returned from a period of suspension, was an aggravating feature which warranted an increase in that suspension by one week.

“The overall suspension of three weeks will not apply between May 8 and 23 as the player will have no games in that period.

“He is accordingly ineligible to play from May 4 to May 10 and May 24 to June 6, and will not be able to have any match day involvement during those periods.”    

Grewcock banned

DANNY GREWCOCK of Bath Rugby was tonight banned for two weeks for striking Saracens’ Neil de Kock during the Guinness Premiership match at the Recreation Ground on October 31.

Grewcock, who pleaded guilty before a Rugby Football Union Disciplinary Panel of Jeremy Summers (chairman), Philip Evans and Michael White at the London Bloomsbury Holiday Inn, is suspended from November 5 – the date of his suspension by Bath – until November 18. He can play again on November 19.