Cosgrove in move back to Warriors
WORCESTER have re-signed Bristol Bears forward Jack Cosgrove on an initial deal until the end of the season.
The loosehead prop, 24, pictured, returns to Sixways as cover for Ryan Bower, who has been ruled out for the rest of the 201819 campaign by an Achilles tendon injury.
Cosgrove left Worcester for Edinburgh, before moving to Bristol in 2017.
He was a member of Bristol’s Championship-winning team in 2017-18, but had made only one top-flight appearance this season.
Warriors academy product Cosgrove, who was capped by Scotland at under-20 level, has been registered by Warriors for their European Challenge Cup campaign, which resumes in south-west France against Pau tomorrow night.
Cosgrove made 12 appearances for Pat Lam’s Bristol side over the past two seasons.
Head coach Lam said: “Jack was keen to get some regular game-time and we fully support his decision. We couldn’t guarantee Jack as many minutes as he needs, so he’s moved on with our best wishes.
“On behalf of Bristol Bears, we thank Jack for his contribution and for the role he played in helping the team achieve promotion last season.”
LEICESTER will be without centre Kyle Eastmond until January 1 after he received a four-week ban following his red card in Tigers’ Gallagher Premiership game against Bristol, writes Andrew Baldock of the Press Association.
The England international, who won the last of his six caps in 2014, was sent off by referee Wayne Barnes.
It followed a dangerous tackle on Bristol fly-half Ian Madigan in last Saturday’s encounter at Ashton Gate.
The Rugby Football Union announced the suspension following Eastmond’s appearance before a three-man independent disciplinary panel in Coventry on Tuesday.
Leicester lost the match 41-10, but they trailed by just six points when Eastmond was dismissed in the 25th minute.
Eastmond, pictured, will miss Leicester’s home and away European Champions Cup appointments with Racing 92, plus Pre- miership fixtures against Harlequins and his former club Bath.
The Tigers have lost six successive games in all competitions and stand just three points above Premiership bottom club Newcastle.
The RFU said: “Eastmond pleaded guilty to the charge and was suspended for four weeks by the independent disciplinary panel comprising of John Brennan (chair), Matt Bayliss and Tony Wheat. He is free to play again on 1 January 2019.”
And panel chairman Brennan added: “The player accepted the charge and accepted through his representative that the entry point was mid-range due to there being direct contact to the head of the opponent.
“The panel acknowledged his plea, his remorse for the incident and his apology, but could not give the player full mitigation of 50 per cent due to his having been sanctioned for dangerous tackling last season. As such, the entry point was reduced by two weeks rather than three.”
Worcester full-back Chris Pennell was suspended for two weeks by the same panel after being cited following a tackle on Gloucester’s Charlie Sharples in last Saturday’s Premiership game at Kingsholm.
Pennell, who pleaded guilty, will miss Worcester’s home and away European Challenge Cup games against Pau.