La Rochelle’s outspoken coach Ronan O’Gara has seen his touchline ban doubled after French rugby’s governing body successfully appealed his original suspension.
O’Gara was initially handed a two-week ban for an ugly confrontation with referee Jeremy Rozier following La Rochelle’s 53-33 loss to Pau in round 11 of the Top 14. However, the Federation Française de Rugby (FFR) took the matter to its appeals commission, which has now extended the sanction to four weeks.
The former Ireland and British & Irish Lions flyhalf was found guilty of “showing disrespect towards a referee’s authority” after allegedly accosting Rozier post-match.
The defeat itself was already a nightmare for La Rochelle. Flyhalf Antoine Hastoy was sent off inside the opening minute, while O’Gara was dismissed in the 57th minute as tempers boiled over.
Although O’Gara has already served the initial two-week suspension, the appeal means he will now be forced to sit out a further fortnight, ruling him out of La Rochelle’s upcoming clash against Montpellier.
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The disciplinary clampdown did not end there.
Racing 92 hooker Janick Tarrit has also had his ban increased after appeal. Tarrit was originally suspended for five weeks following an “appalling” head-butt to the chest of Toulouse lock Efrain Elias in the same round of fixtures.
The appeals commission has now extended Tarrit’s suspension to eight weeks, adding a further three weeks on the sidelines and delaying his return to action until later this month.
Photo: Timothy Rogers/Getty Images
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