Stamping ban for Ospreys lock Evans

OSPREYS lock Ian Evans has been banned until mid-February after he admitted stamping on England scrum-half Harry Ellis during a Heineken Cup match.

Evans was cited by match commissioner Bill Dunlop following the first-half incident that led to Leicester star Ellis limping out of last Sunday’s bitter Pool Three encounter.

Ellis underwent knee surgery on Thursday evening.

The citing complaint was upheld by a three-man disciplinary panel sitting in Glasgow, who announced a ban of eight weeks and two days.

It means Evans is suspended until February 20, ruling him out of contention for Wales’ opening RBS 6 Nations games against England and Scotland.

He will also miss several important Celtic League games, plus the Ospreys’ final two Heineken Cup pool fixtures against Clermont Auvergne and Stade Francais next month.

Surgeons removed a damaged piece of cartilage from Ellis’ left knee joint and Leicester expect him to be sidelined for three to four weeks, repelling initial fears that he could face a long lay-off.

Ellis will miss Tigers’ holiday Premiership games against Bristol and Saracens, while he could also be absent for crucial Heineken Cup appointments with Stade Francais and Clermont Auvergne next month.

England do not kick off their Six Nations campaign until February 4, leaving Ellis with enough time to prove his fitness, should current recovery predictions prove accurate.

The disciplinary panel was chaired by the Scottish Rugby Union’s Rod McKenzie, assisted by Dr Barry O’Driscoll (Irish Rugby Football Union) and Professor Lorne Crerar (SRU).