Daly’s D-Day
ENGLAND’S Elliot Daly and Nathan Hughes will see specialists today with the threat of missing the Six Nations hanging over them. Both Wasps stars face the prospect of surgery on “significant” injuries – to the ankle of Daly, left, and knee of Hughes – leaving Eddie Jones potentially shorthanded for the title defence which begins on February 4 in Italy. “The club doctor had a look at them and felt it was necessary to get MRI scans on them,” said Wasps director of rugby Dai Young. “The scans came back and it doesn’t look particularly good news. It could be as much as 12 weeks.”
GLOUCESTER last night delivered their full backing to coach Johan Ackermann and his son Ruan – the club’s No8 – after their investigation into a late-night incident which put another man in hospital.
Police are looking into the fracas at a Cheltenham nightspot in the early hours of Sunday morning which left clubber Harry Allen with facial injuries.
Allen’s sister Katie claimed on social media her brother had been the victim of an “unprovoked” attack.
“They pulled his jumper over his head, push[ed] his head down and took multiple blows to his head, face and arms,” she said.
Gloucester admitted the Ackermanns had been involved in the trouble but exonerated the South Africans, insisting they had not started it.
“Gloucester Rugby takes any allegations extremely seriously and we have conducted a full investigation into this matter,” said the club’s chief executive Stephen Vaughan.
“Having spoken to Johan, Ruan, the club where the alleged incident took place, the police and other independent witnesses as well as viewing CCTV footage, I am completely satisfied that whilst an incident did take place, it was instigated by others and not by Johan and Ruan as has been incorrectly reported.
“Both Johan and Ruan have been upset and disappointed by the allegations, but do appreciate the support from Gloucester fans, players, colleagues, friends and family.”
Former Springbok lock Ackermann snr has been credited with the turnaround at Gloucester this season which sees the club occupying second spot in the Premiership.
Manu Tuilagi faces a disciplinary hearing today in London after being cited for an alleged dangerous tackle in his comeback.
Tuilagi, below, was cited for a challenge on Munster flanker Chris Cloete in the 49th minute of Leicester’s Champions Cup defeat on Sunday.
Former Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll condemned the decision. “The game has gone soft if we’re picking up on marginal collisions like the Tuilagi tackle he’s been cited for,” said O’Driscoll on Twitter.
However, if found guilty, the Leicester centre, who has missed 14 weeks of the season because of injury, could be banned.
The recommended low-end sanction is a fortnight’s ban, rising to six weeks for a mid-range offence.
Exeter lock Mitch Lees and Leinster prop Cian Healy also face hearings today after being cited for separate incidents following their game in Dublin.
Lees faces a ban for charging dangerously into a ruck and head-butting Healy while the Ireland front row is also in trouble for careless ruck entry.
He was sin-binned by referee Pascal Gauzere at the time for catching Luke Cowan-Dickie’s head with his shoulder but the citing commissioner deemed it worthy of a red.
Saracens pair Sean Maitland and Will Skelton escaped with warnings for tackling in the air and putting a hand in an opponent’s face respectively in the game at Clermont.