Fritz cited

[An Tarbh]

Must admit this one has taken me by surprise, don't recall seeing anything dirty in this match at all but he's been cited for an alleged gouging incident.

The hearing will take place in London on Wednesday after he was cited by the independent commissioner.

 

[shazbooger]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Feb 9 2009, 04:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

he's been cited for an alleged gouging incident.[/b]

Well that explains Paddy Wallace's injury

A blinding example of 2+2=45.876555. Thank you, I'll get my coat.

 

[MunsterMan]

I was going to make a similar comment

Paddy did look like he was bleed from around his eye though. If he is found guilty that should be the end of his six nations!

 

[Stillknox]

It will be a hard blow for him (and for us) it was only his first game since the 2007's 6N... but if it's true, he deserve his 6 month ban like Bergamasco last year.

 

[An Tarbh]

there's talk it could have been Flannery either.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Eye gouging is a despicable act and anybody found guilty of it should have the book thrown at them. I haven't seen the Fritz incident so can't judge him but I sincerely hope he didn't do it.

 

[shazbooger]

Ahhh well if it was Flannery (I was joking about Wallace) he probably deserved it, so I dont see a case here

 

[An Tarbh]

yeah it's not like he doesn't have a chequered past himself, still though doesn't deserve to be gouged, tripped maybe but not gouged.

 

[An Tarbh]

usually have a lot of time for rugbyrama but it should be made clear that it wasn't the Irish who cited Fritz, it was the independent commissioner.

 

[MunsterMan]

The good 'ole radio has informed me that Paddy Wallace was not training at the RDS today due to an eye injury. 2+2=4.

 

[Mr.cyclopede]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Feb 10 2009, 03:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

usually have a lot of time for rugbyrama but it should be made clear that it wasn't the Irish who cited Fritz, it was the independent commissioner.[/b]

That's confirmed by journalists in "les spécialistes rugby" in Canal +
Saw the replay, but nothing visible, Fritz just have formard arm as he turn off and try to lean on it to stand up. Only thing to put to his credit is that there are plenty of green player (and the linout judge) just aside the "victim" but abdolutely no signal or complaints to alert for the agression...

 

[Mr.cyclopede]

Mermoz to be ***ularised if Fritz condamned

 

[bc2704]

It did look like a nasty injury, a lot of blood.

 

[An Tarbh]

well we should know something by 12:30.

 

[elgringoborracho]

3 weeks ban for fritz, ie 2 6 nations games.
He'll be back against England.

I don't get it : for eye gouging it should be more than just 2 games. Plus I saw the video and saw nothing

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (elgringoborracho @ Feb 11 2009, 04:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

3 weeks ban for fritz, ie 2 6 nations games.
He'll be back against England.

I don't get it : for eye gouging it should be more than just 2 games. Plus I saw the video and saw nothing[/b]

depends on what they've found him guilty of and whether it's at the lower end of the scale for such an offence.

 

[elgringoborracho]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Feb 11 2009, 05:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (elgringoborracho @ Feb 11 2009, 04:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

3 weeks ban for fritz, ie 2 6 nations games.
He'll be back against England.

I don't get it : for eye gouging it should be more than just 2 games. Plus I saw the video and saw nothing[/b]

depends on what they've found him guilty of and whether it's at the lower end of the scale for such an offence.
[/b][/quote]


It appears that he threw a bunch of punches to Stephen ferris. Fair enough. We'll be missing him against Wales. Now is the chance for Baby and Mermoz to shine

 

[An Tarbh]

then why not cite him for that initially, certainly put the wind up him unnecessarily as far as I'm concerned.

 

[An Tarbh]

More from the Irish Times

Fritz cleared of gouging, banned for striking

France will be without Toulouse centre Florian Fritz for the next two Six Nations matches after he was banned for three weeks. Fritz was cleared of eye-gouging at a hearing today but found guilty of the lesser offence of striking.

Fritz had been charged with eye-gouging following an incident early in the second half involving Stephen Ferris. However, the disciplinary committee found that the 25-year-old had “not deliberately made contact with the eyes or eye area of his Irish opponentâ€.

Instead, Fritz was handed a striking charge and will now miss this weekend’s meeting with Scotland and the visit of defending champions Wales to Paris on Friday, February 27th.

France coach Marc Lievremont said before the ban was announced that the Toulouse player would be replaced by Benoit Baby against the Scots if he was suspended. Maxime Mermoz has already joined the squad as a replacement cover.

 

[An Tarbh]

Guy Noves thinks that Fritz should be eligible to play for Toulouse while he's banned because it happened at international level.