Banned Rees set to miss Six Nations
Rees appeared before an independent disciplinary hearing in Dublin yesterday as a result of the citing complaint arising from the Pool One match against Saints at Cardiff City Stadium on Sunday, December 19.
The citing complaint made by the citing commissioner for the match, Murray Whyte (Ireland), was for acts contrary to good sportsmanship in contravention of law 10.4(m) in that Rees had made contact with the eye/eye area of Hartley.
Rees pleaded not guilty to the complaint on the basis that any contact had been accidental. But, after independent judicial officer Pat Barriscale (Ireland) reviewed all the evidence, including several angles of the incident from television footage and medical statements relating to the injuries sustained by Hartley, the Welshman was found guilty.
Meanwhile, England and Gloucester lock Dave Attwood has received a nine-week ban after being cited for stamping on La Rochelle prop Petrisor Toderasc during an Amlin Challenge Cup game last month.
Attwood, who admitted the charge at an independent European Rugby Cup disciplinary hearing in Dublin yesterday, is suspended until February 21. It means the 23-year-old, part of Martin Johnson’s elite squad, will be unavailable for the opening 6 Nations games against Wales and Italy.
Attwood 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 at Kingsholm. La Rochelle officials initially feared he could lose the sight in his right eye.
Attwood admitted the citing complaint, but maintained he had not intended to make contact with Romanian international Toderasc’s face.
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