Armitage hit with his fourth ban this year
ENGLAND international Delon Armitage has incurred his fourth ban on the year after a Rugby Football Union disciplinary panel found the London Irish back guilty of two separate offences during the Premiership clash against Bath last month.
Armitage has been suspended for what was adjudged a dangerous tackle on wing Tom Biggs, and he must also serve a three-week ban for striking lock Dave Attwood with his knee, but that penalty will run concurrently.
This latest punishment is backdated to 4 November, the date when London Irish suspended him following an internal hearing, and he will be available to play again on 9 December. He will therefore be absent from the Heineken Cup pool stage matches with Edinburgh and Cardiff Blues, as well as Premiership fixtures against against Wasps and Saracens.
The 27-year-old served an eight-week ban for pushing and verbally abusing a doping control officer after Irish’s New Year’s Day game against Bath and was hit with a three-week ban later in the season for striking Northampton fly-half Stephen Myler
Armitage also missed England’s World Cup quarter-final defeat to France for a high tackle on Scotland’s Chris Paterson.
Meanwhile, Saracen’s Owen Farrell has escaped sanction after the RFU decided he had no case to answer despite being cited for a dangerous tackle on Gloucester’s Henry Trinder.