WELSH LOCK IAN Evans will miss the entire Six Nations after he was handed a 12-week ban for stamping on Mike McCarthy.
Evans was suspended until 21 April following a disciplinary hearing in Dublin today.
The second row was sent off during Ospreys’ Heineken Cup defeat against Leinster with video evidence showing the stamps which left McCarthy bloodied and needing to be substituted.
Evans pleaded guilty to violating Law 10.4(b): A player must not stamp or trample on an opponent, which carries a maximum ban of 52 weeks.
INPHO/Donall Farmer
Independent judicial officer Jeremy Summers “stated that the incident involved at least two stamps which connected with McCarthy’s head and which resulted in a serious facial wound.
“Mr Summers also stated that there was no place in the game for conduct of this kind – a view which Evans himself accepted during the hearing.”
Starting at a 16-week entry point, Summers reduced the suspension by four weeks due to the player’s guilty plea, good conduct and remorse during the hearing.
But Evans will effectively miss 13 weeks, pending appeal, to take account of the Six Nations off-week when he would not have played.
