RUGBY NEWS ROUND-UP:STADE FRANCAIS scrumhalf Julien Dupuy and replacement prop David Attoub will appear before an independent disciplinary committee after being cited for two separate incidents of alleged gouging, both on Ulster flanker Stephen Ferris during last Saturday's Heineken Cup match at Ravenhill.
ERC officially confirmed both French players have been called to account for their actions at a hearing that’s likely to take place ahead of next Saturday afternoon’s clash between the same teams at the Roi Baudouin stadium in Brussels.
Both citings were lodged by ERC-appointed citing commissioner for that particular match, England’s Tony Lanaway, after viewing footage of the match “for alleged contact with the eye/eye area of Ulster player Stephen Ferris (No 6) in contravention of Law 10.4 (l). The independent Judicial Officer will be appointed as soon as practicable.”
ERC will be keen to expedite setting up a hearing because Ulster and Stade Francais meet for a second time at the weekend. Under the rules that govern the tournament a cited player or players is/are eligible to play in the competition until the hearing.
Sky Sports broadcast the game in Belfast live and their footage clearly shows scrumhalf Dupuy making contact with the face/eye area of Ferris, not once but twice in the space of a few seconds. The Ulster player is incensed and jumps to his feet gesturing first to the touch judge that his eyes have been interfered with and then trying to bring the matter to the attention of the referee, England’s Dave Pearson.
Dupuy is seen making conciliatory gestures and Ferris would subsequently confirm the scrumhalf said to him he had done nothing untoward. The match citing commissioner, Lanaway, will have had access to footage that was not necessarily broadcast on Sky Sports at the time. French international prop Attoub, a replacement during the game has also been called to account.
Attoub received a yellow card, along with Ulster’s Bryan Young, for a bit of grappling on the ground but the genesis of that contretemps may have involved the first Ferris incident and a suggestion of gouging by the French player that inspired the tussle between the props. In speaking to the media afterwards, a clearly annoyed Ferris pointed out he hadn’t seen who had gouged him on that particular occasion.
The likelihood is the hearings will take place tomorrow in either Dublin or Paris. Under the IRB “recommended sanctions for offences committed within the playing enclosure, contact with the eyes/eye area carriers the following penalties – Lower end 9: (12 weeks), Middle (18 Weeks), Top (24+ weeks), Maximum (156 weeks).
Following their defeat at Ravenhill, Stade Francais owner Max Guazzini possibly regrets his decision to move the game from his club’s traditional home at Stade Jean Bouin to Belgium’s national soccer stadium the Roi Baudouin; rebuilt (1995) and renamed after the Heysel tragedy. A showman and innovator Guazzini said when he opted for Brussels: “We want this game to be a real event. It gives Stade the chance to play in a great stadium in the heart of the capital of Europe. Brussels is one hour 30 minutes away from Paris; it will enable Parisans to discover the Belgian capital.”
And one imagines quite a few Ulster folk after last week’s performance.
Guazzini confirmed Belgian fans could look forward to some of the Parisian side’s trademark pre- and post-match entertainment with the build-up set to include action from the X Games, live music, Parisian can-can dancers and a fireworks display. Given last week’s abrasion on the pitch at Ravenhill and the subsequent fall-out it might not be the only instance of fireworks on the day.
The Roi Baudouin – capacity of 50,044 – becomes the 88th venue to host Heineken Cup action.
Ulster coach Brian McLaughlin is due to announce at extended Ulster squad for the match at lunch-time today and may be able to call upon Paddy Wallace and Fijian wing Timoci Nagusa, both of whom missed last Saturday’s encounter.
