Argentina props banned for total of 15 weeks

SYDNEY - Argentina prop Roberto Grau was suspended for nine weeks and his front row partner Mauricio Reggiardo for six weeks after a Rugby World Cup judiciary panel found both had raked their hands across the faces of opponents.

The Argentinian props had been cited to appear before the panel after separate incidents during the Pumas' loss to Ireland in Adelaide on Sunday.

Rugby World Cup said in a statement that judicial officer Bruce Squire had upheld citings against both players at a hearing in Sydney on Wednesday.

"... he suspended Grau for nine weeks up to and including 31 December having found him guilty of raking his hand over the face of an opposition player," the statement said.

The statement gave no further detail about Grau's offence. It said Reggiardo had been suspended until December 10 because his action was not deliberate.

"The judicial officer concluded that, in this instance, the player's use of the hands to the opponents face was reckless rather than deliberate but carried a significant and unacceptable risk of injury," the statement said.

The full details of Squire's findings and the hearing, which lasted more than six hours, will be released on Thursday.

There were no further details available on Wednesday and no immediate indication from Argentine team management about whether they would appeal against the findings and suspensions.

Tighthead Reggiardo's suspension means he will likely miss up to a month of the club competition in France, where he plays for Castres.

Ireland prop Reggie Corrigan was replaced in the 57th minute of the Adelaide game on Sunday after appearing to suffer a facial injury.

Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan said on Tuesday captain Keith Wood had also suffered a blow to the eye during the match. Neither player was seriously hurt.

The usual penalty for a player found to "attack an opponent's eyes with any part of the hand" is a ban of two years.

Ireland won the match 16-15, the loss putting Argentina out of the tournament.

Grau and Reggiardo were the third and fourth players to be cited and receive suspensions during the tournament.

The regulations under which they were cited deal with "acts contrary to good sportsmanship".

Under tournament rules, a player can be cited for foul or dangerous play if in the opinion of an independent citing commissioner the incident warranted the player being sent off.

Scotland flanker Martin Leslie was banned for 12 weeks last week for kneeing United States back Jason Keyter in the head during a pool B match in Brisbane.

His suspension was cut to eight weeks by a three-man appeal committee earlier on Wednesday, although no details about their decision will be released until Thursday.

Fiji winger Rupeni Caucaunibuca was suspended for two matches for punching France flanker Olivier Magne in a pool B match.

Leslie's original suspension had been the second longest handed out in the tournament's history. South African winger Pieter Hendriks was banned for 90 days in 1995 for kicking and punching in a World Cup match against Canada at Port Elizabeth.

- REUTERS

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