News round-up: Perpignan pair cited for
alleged ‘eye-gouging’ charges in Heineken Cup
22 October 2008
Perpignan’s Marius Tincu
and Guilhem Guirado have both been cited for alleged eye
gouging in the weekend Heineken Cup clash against the
Ospreys.
The pair have been
summoned to appear before an independent Disciplinary
Committee in London on Thursday following the citings in
Saturday’s Pool 3 match at the Liberty Stadium, which
Perpignan lost 15-9.
Hooker Tincu must answer a
charge of “alleged contact with the eye/eye area” of Ospreys
prop Paul James, with Guirado facing the same charge, but
against Ospreys replacement Ian Gough.
James is also in hot
water, having been cited for punching Tincu in the
ill-tempered weekend match.
Elsewhere, there was
better news for Perpignan’s Chris Cusiter and Nathan Hines,
who have both been called up for Scotland’s November
internationals against New Zealand (8th) and South Africa
(22nd). Stade Francais’ Simon Taylor is also in the squad.
There was mixed news for
Castres centres Steve Kefu and Phil Christophers this week
following their two Heineken Cup matches.
Australian Kefu faces a
six week lay-off after fracturing an eye-socket against
Edinburgh at the weekend – in his first game of the season –
but England’s Christophers has escaped a disciplinary
hearing after alleged eye gouging against Wasps the week
before.
Meanwhile, reports in the French press
suggest Jean-Charles Bordaries could become Montauban’s new
president following the sudden resignation of Daniel Havis
last week.
The Top 14 club are
currently the subject of an investigation by the DNACG, the
league’s financial watchdog, after a €1.3m hole was
discovered in their accounts.
Montauban travel to
Clermont on Saturday, having lost at home to them in the
Heineken Cup at the weekend, but the hosts have a mounting
injury list to contend with, including the potential loss of
their Fijian match-winner Napolioni Nalaga.
Sunday’s two-try hero is
struggling to be fit after picking up a knee injury, with
other doubtfuls including Mario Ledesma, Benoit Baby and
Anthony Floch.
Les Jaunards are already
without Jamie Cudmore, Aurelian Rougerie, Martin Scelzo,
Fabien Alexandre, Simms Davison, Davit Zirakashvili and
Thibaut Privat.
Saturday’s eagerly
anticipated top-two clash between leaders Stade Francais and
defending champions Toulouse looks like being a sell-out at
the Stade de France, with only 4,000 tickets left unsold as
of Tuesday. Toulouse have closed off their training ground
from the media in the build-up to the match, while the
leaders have are hoping rugby league convert Mark Gasnier
will be fit enough to play after sitting out the last
fortnight with an ankle injury.
However, Toulon prop
Jerome Filitoga will definitely miss the weekend’s matches
after sustaining a calf strain.
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