Tigers suspend Chuter
Leicester have suspended hooker George Chuter pending a Rugby Football Union disciplinary hearing after he was cited for allegedly stamping on Wasps opposite number Raphael Ibanez during Saturday’s Powergen Cup semi-final.
Although Six Nations regulations state Chuter is suspended for England’s clash with France on Sunday, he would have been available to play for Leicester against Leeds in the Guinness Premiership on Friday night.
But in what is now a routine move, Leicester have conducted an internal hearing and suspended the 29-year-old from all rugby until next Tuesday.
“I very much regret this whole incident and I would like to personally apologise to Raphael Ibanez for my actions,” said Chuter.
“I had no intention of causing any harm to him and I just wish I could wind the clock back to put things right.
“I have never been a dirty player and am devastated that I have let down the club and its supporters and that I may have missed the opportunity to make my England debut during the Six Nations.”
Chuter was cited by independent commissioner Ken Pattinson for an incident during Leicester’s 22-17 defeat to Wasps at the Millennium Stadium.
The disciplinary system takes mitigating circumstances, remorse and, if appropriate, guilty pleas into account when deliberating on the length of any suspension.
Under International Rugby Board guidelines the lowest entry level suspension, before any mitigating circumstances are taken into account, is four weeks. The maximum ban is 12 months.
If Chuter is found not guilty, his Six Nations is still likely to be over because the disciplinary hearing takes place the same day England head coach Andy Robinson is due to name his side to face Ireland.
Chuter was an unused replacement in England’s defeat to Scotland two weekends ago. In-form Bath hooker Lee Mears is set for a return to the squad for the trip to France.
