Rugby:Wales scrumhalf Richie Rees will miss this season's entire Six Nations Championship after being hit with a 12-week ban, while Gloucester lock Dave Attwood has been ruled out of England's opening two games against Wales and Italy due to a nine-week suspension.
Both players were cited for foul play after respective Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup matches just before Christmas.
Cardiff Blues star Rees was reported for making contact with the eyes/eye area of Northampton's England hooker Dylan Hartley during a Heineken pool clash between the teams. And Attwood faced a complaint that he stamped on La Rochelle prop Petrisor Toderasc in a Challenge Cup clash at Kingsholm.
Both players have the right of appeal, but nine times-capped Rees is currently sidelined until March 31st, while Attwood is out until February 21st.
Rees is Wales' current scrumhalf bench cover for Mike Phillips and would have been an important part of head coach Warren Gatland's Six Nations plans. The 27-year-old pleaded not guilty to the citing complaint on the basis that any contact made with Saints skipper Hartley had been accidental.
Independent judicial officer, Pat Barriscale from Ireland, reviewed evidence at today's Dublin hearing, including several angles of the incident from television footage and medical statements relating to Hartley's injuries.
He also heard telephone evidence from Hartley, and submissions by Rees, Blues chief executive Robert Norster and European Rugby Cup disciplinary officer Roger O'Connor.
Barriscale determined that Rees was guilty of foul play, although he found contact with Hartley had been reckless and not intentional. The Blues have said they will await ERC's written judgment and had no comment to make on Rees until that was received.
Attwood, meanwhile, admitted the charge he faced at an independent ERC disciplinary hearing.
The 23-year-old toured Australia with England last summer and did not feature in the two-Test series, but he made his international debut as a replacement against New Zealand at Twickenham two months ago.
Toderasc suffered facial injuries as a result of the first-half incident. La Rochelle officials initially feared he could lose the sight in his right eye, although those concerns proved unfounded.
Attwood admitted the citing complaint, but maintained he had not intended to make contact with Romanian international Toderasc's face.
Independent judicial officer, Welshman Robert Williams, considered video footage of the incident, medical reports relating to Toderasc's injuries and testimony from Attwood. Williams found the offence was in the top-end range for the offence's level of seriousness and decided on an entry point of 18 weeks.
But after considering mitigating factors, including Attwood's guilty plea, the player's remorse and what was described as his "exemplary conduct" at the hearing, Williams made a 50 per cent reduction and decided on a nine-week ban.
The period of suspension was back-dated to begin on the day of the match - December 19th - which takes into account Attwood's suspension by Gloucester, a two-week sentence which they imposed shortly after the game.
Attwood faced two charges of stamping that arose from England's draw against the Australian Barbarians in Perth last June, but they were thrown out on a technicality.
The tour agreement between the English and Australian unions stipulated independent citing commissioners would be appointed for two midweek games against the Barbarians.
But the host nation appointed Australian Scott Nowland for the Perth encounter, and England successfully argued the charges against Attwood were not valid because Nowland could not be classed as independent and they had not been informed about his appointment.
