Cov front-rower Boulton handed seven-week ban

COVENTRY Rugby frontrower Phil Boulton has been suspended for seven weeks by an RFU disciplinary hearing.

Boulton pleaded not guilty to the charge of making contact with Dean Adamson’s eye area during last Saturday’s win over his former club Bedford.

However, a four-hour hearing on Wednesday found that accidental contact with the eye and/or eye area had occurred.

Boulton’s character and previous good behaviour were taken into account, and the RFU were happy that this was not an intentional act.

His suspension for reckless contact with the eye was therefore reduced from an entry point of 12 weeks to seven, making him available to play again from November 6.

Panel chair Matthew Weaver said: “The panel considered evidence in person from the player, the video footage, oral evidence from the Bedford Blues players and medical evidence.

“On the balance of probabilities, they found that this was a reckless act which had resulted in contact with the eye of Beford Blues’ Dean Adamson.

“As a result of the injury sustained by Adamson, the panel found that this was a mid-range entry point of 12 weeks.

“All mitigating features were present save for an acceptance of the charge. Therefore the panel reduced the sanction by five weeks.

“The player is suspended for a period of seven weeks which covers seven meaningful fixtures based on evidence received from the Coventry director of rugby.”

Coventry will host the full Canada senior squad on Monday, November 5 (7.30pm, kick-off), as the Cannucks prepare for their round of World Cup qualifying games against Kenya, Germany and Hong Kong later that month in Marseilles.

“Canada’s coach, Kingsley Jones said they needed a preparation game while we were speaking on another matter, and we jumped at the chance of playing them,” said director of rugby, Rowland Winter.

“The game falls on a weekend off from the league and will prepare us for the Championship Cup, so it’s an ideal situation.

“It’s quite an honour to host a national team and we hope it will be a great occasion for our supporters.”

A number of Canadian internationals have played for Coventry, notably Phil Mackenzie, John Cannon, James Pritchard and Nik Witkowski.

It will be the first time that Cov have played a national side since Georgia came to Coundon Road in the late 1990s.

Coventry have also announced that their Nighthawks XV will travel to face London Irish on Monday, October 8.