The following are the RFU's recommended suspensions for first offences:

30 days - punching.

60 days - kicking, raking or unlawful use of the boot, head-butting offences in the tackle, other forms of assault.

120 days - abuse of a match official.

Life (sine die) - striking a match official.

RFU'S Citing Procedure

Citings can be made after a player commits an act of foul play which has not been detected by the match officials and has therefore gone unpunished in terms of a caution or sending-off.

Clubs must cite in writing no later than first post on the seventh day following the match.

The citing must give date, venue and names of the participating teams; details of the alleged foul play, including timing, position on field and exact place where it is alleged to have taken place; identify, or provide means of identifying, the player or players alleged guilty of foul play.

It costs £50 to cite a player - refundable if citing is successful.

After receiving a citing, the match referee and touch judges are contacted. If they detected the alleged act, then any citing is declared null and void.

If the officials did not detect foul play, then the cited player is contacted in writing by constituent body's disciplinary committee chairman and invited to respond.

If the player admits foul play, then he can invite constituent body disciplinary committee to deal with the complaint.

If the player disputes foul play allegations, then a disciplinary hearing is convened.

A cited player is presumed innocent until proved guilty. He can continue to play, pending a disciplinary hearing, whether or not he admits the foul play allegations.