Dupuy’s season over despite ban cut

JULIEN DUPUY, the Stade Francais scrum-half, will miss France’s entire Six Nations campaign after his appeal against a 24-week suspension for gouging was reduced by just seven days to 23 weeks.

The France international received the original punishment on December 18 after being found guilty of gouging Ulster’s Irish international back-row forward Stephen Ferris in their European Cup clash on December 12, which Ulster won 23-13 at Ravenhill.

The IRB has been keen to eradicate gouging from the game and the independent appeal committee at Heathrow in London last night opted to reduce his ban by just a week.