IRB bite citing as England’s Hartley fingered

Ireland flanker Stephen Ferris may see justice done for the bite he believes he received on his finger last Saturday after England hooker Dylan Hartley was cited last night for the alleged offence.

The Northampton Saints front row faces a minimum ban of 12 weeks if found guilty of the charge after the independent citing commissioner Alberto Recaldini of Italy cited the England player under International Rugby Board Law 10.4(m), “Acts contrary to good sportsmanship”, for allegedly “biting the finger of an opponent in the 23rd minute of the first half” of the RBS 6 Nations match at Twickenham on Saturday.

An independent Six Nations Disciplinary Committee will decide his fate with the offence carrying a 24-plus weeks suspension, up to four years at its top end.

Ferris had complained to referee Nigel Owens during the match about being bitten on his finger but the Welsh official had not seen an incident. Having spoken to both captains, Owens then approached Ferris as he was receiving treatment for his wounds and told him: “I have done all I can. It has been noted. If I don’t see it I can’t do nothing about it. It has been spoken about and dealt with.”

Hartley is unable to play pending his hearing and last night the RFU issued a brief statement:

“The England management have been formally notified about the citing of Dylan Hartley and will not be making any comment until the resolution of the hearing.”

Hartley made his Test debut against the Pacific Islanders at Twickenham in 2008, which came after he had served a 26-week ban for eye-gouging the previous year.

Hartley was cited for making contact with the eye areas of three Wasps players — Jonny O’Connor, James Haskell and Joe Worsley — during a Premiership game. He pleaded not guilty on all three counts, but was found guilty in relation to the Haskell and O’Connor incidents. He was cleared on the Worsley charge.