TWO-TIME DEFENDING European champions Toulon suffered another blow on Wednesday as utility back Delon Armitage was banned for 12 weeks after being found guilty of misconduct following the stormy European Champions Cup defeat by Leicester.
The 31-year-old Englishman — whose team-mate Italian prop Martin Castrogiovanni received a suspended four match ban and a fine for a post match rant — was found to have used offensive language towards spectators at Leicester’s Welford Road ground.
The incidents came after Toulon’s 25-21 defeat against the Tigers earlier this month.
The former England international pleaded not guilty to the charge, however, the independent disciplinary committee was satisfied he had directed abusive language to home fans after the match, albeit that he had been provoked.
Armitage, who has been pivotal to Toulon’s success over the past couple of years, received an extra four weeks on the eight week ban because it was his second post-match misconduct case in four years.
An European Professional Club Rugby statement read:
“Delon Armitage, the RC Toulon player, has been suspended for 12 weeks as a result of a misconduct complaint lodged against him by EPCR following his club’s European Rugby Champions, Round 3 match against Leicester Tigers at Welford Road on 7 December 2014.”
The Toulon player will be suspended until 8 March next year, subject to appeals.
