Banned for six months: Stade Francais scrum-half Julien Dupuy Photo: Michael Paler

Unlucky 13? Stade Francais will certainly be hoping not after ERC set January 13^th as both the appeal date for Julien Dupuy’s 24-week ban, and also for the previously adjourned hearing for prop David Attoub.

Both players were originally cited for alleged eye-gouging in the club’s Heineken Cup defeat against Ulster at Ravenhill on December 12^th. Dupuy’s case was fairly straightforward after damning television pictures – and the scrum-half was duly banned – but the case against Attoub is less clear cut and was adjourned after claims that a photograph depicting the purported incident had allegedly been tampered with. The case was subsequently postponed to enable further forensic analysis.

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Attoub was handed an interim ban at the time of the adjournment, but could face a prolonged spell on the sidelines if found guilty on the 13^th. Dupuy is not disputing his guilt, but rather appealing against the length of his 24-week ban.

Appealing against an ERC ban can be a risky business, but bearing in mind the severity of Dupuy’s punishment he may in fact feel that he really has nothing to lose. If the current 24-week suspension stands his season is effectively over, both for club and country.

Dupuy’s unavailability has started an horrendous chain of events for Stade which now sees them readying for their crucial Heineken Cup clash against Bath without a specialist scrum half.

Dupuy’s South African deputy broke his hand in the match after the Frenchman was banned, and his replacement in turn, English youngster Charlie Davies, then sprained an ankle during Sunday’s 6-6 away draw at Montauban.

That leaves 21-year-old Benjamin Tardy as their only fit scrum-half, but while he will start in Saturday’s home game against Biarritz at the Stade de France he is not registered to play in the Heineken Cup. Each team is allowed to make one player change from their original squad, but Stade have already done that when they put forward Rabah Slimani to replace injured Italian captain Sergio Parisse.

Now, with must-win home game against Bath under a fortnight away they are trying out possible alternatives, with hooker Mathieu Blin the latest to be given a go. England sevens international Ollie Phillips was another possibility, but a nagging foot injury is preventing the Stade winger from training at present.

Stade may be encountering unwanted on-field problems – with only two wins from their last seven games – but the Paris public remains enamoured with Max Guazzini’s club, as witnessed by more than 70,000 tickets having already been sold for their weekend match against Biarritz at the Stade de France.

Each game between now and the end of the season will be crucial – there are only nine more scheduled league matches – but Stade know they simply have to win all of their remaining home games to finish in the top six and reach the play-offs. They are currently eighth, but are just one point behind sixth-placed Biarritz, adding extra spice to Saturday’s encounter.

The Biarritz clash is one of four remaining home games, of which three are at the Stade de France – against Biarritz, Stade Toulousain and Clermont Auvergne. They also have tricky away games at leaders Castres, rejuvenated Brive and defending champions Perpignan in a run-in that will further test a squad currently hit hard by injuries.

Biarritz, meanwhile, could be bolstered by the return of French international Imanol Harinordoquy in Paris, with the veteran flanker in line for his first match since going off injured while playing for ‘Les Bleus’ against South Africa in November. “Hopefully I can play 20 or 30 minutes,” he told the Biarritz website. We are elbow to elbow with Stade Francais so if we want to stay in the top six we must get a result in Paris,” he added.