Thomas Ramos cops concurrent bans for striking and eye contact

France full-back Thomas Ramos will be available for the start of the Guinness Six Nations after a disciplinary hearing committee decided that his five- and four-week bans arising from separate incidents in last Sunday’s European win by Toulouse over Sale should run concurrently.

The 27-year-old, who was selected at No15 in all three of his country’s Autumn Nations Series games, was sent off in the 80th minute of the Toulouse victory over Sale in the Heineken Champions Cup. He then learned that he would also be cited for an earlier 56th-minute incident where was accused of making contact with the eye area of an opposition player.

Ramos copped a four-week suspension for the red card and a five-week ban for the eye contact. However, rather than add the two suspensions together and ban the Toulouse player for nine weeks, it was decided that the bans should run concurrently, meaning he will be sidelined for only five weeks and will be free to play on Monday, January 23.

A statement read: “The Toulouse full-back, Thomas Ramos, has been suspended for five weeks following independent disciplinary hearings arising from his club’s Heineken Champions Cup round two match against Sale Sharks at Stade Ernest-Wallon.

“Ramos was issued with a red card by the referee, Andrea Piardi of Italy, in the 80th minute for striking the Sale full-back, Byron McGuigan, with his head in contravention of law 9.12. Ramos was also cited by the match citing commissioner, Ed Kenny of Ireland, for allegedly making contact with the eye or eye area of the Sale scrum-half, Gus Warr, in the 56th minute in contravention of law 9.12.

“An independent disciplinary committee comprising Daniel White (England, chair), Donal Courtney (Ireland) and Bogdan Zebega (Romania) heard the two cases consecutively. The committee considered video imagery of the incidents and took evidence from Ramos and from Warr. It also took submissions from Ramos’ legal representative, Neil Robertson, from Stade Toulousain head coach Ugo Mola, from Stade Toulousain high-performance manager Jerome Cazalbou, and from EPCR disciplinary officer Liam McTiernan.

“Ramos accepted the red card decision. However, in relation to the citing complaint, he did not accept that he had made contact with the eye area of Warr. With regard to the citing, the committee upheld the complaint, finding that Ramos had made intentional contact with Warr’s eye area. It determined that the offence was at the mid-range of World Rugby’s sanctions and eight weeks was selected as the appropriate entry point.

“As Ramos did not accept that he had committed the offence, the committee was not able to grant him the full 50 per cent mitigation, and it reduced the sanction by three weeks before imposing a suspension of five weeks.

“The red card decision was also upheld with the committee finding that Ramos had struck McGuigan with his head. It determined that the offence was at the low end of World Rugby’s sanctions and six weeks was selected as the appropriate entry point.

“Taking into account Ramos’ guilty plea, the committee reduced the sanction by two weeks before imposing a suspension of four weeks. The committee then decided that the two sanctions of five weeks and four weeks should run concurrently and Ramos is therefore free to play on Monday, January 23.”