Fists fly in the Pro D2
The Lique Nationale de Rugby will hold disciplinary hearings for no less than nine players and Toulon manager Tana Umaga on Friday in the aftermath of two general punch-ups.
The Lique Nationale de Rugby will hold disciplinary hearings for no less than nine players and Toulon manager Tana Umaga on Friday in the aftermath of two general punch-ups.
Eight players will face the music for their involvement in two separate punch-ups in the Pro D2 and have all, as well as Umaga, been suspended until after the hearing.
They are: Mafileo Kefu and Philip Fitzgerald (Toulon), Damien Costanzo (Pau), Jalil Narjissi, Arnaud Mignardi and Thomas Soucaze (Agen) and Jocelino Suta and Laurent Travini (Mont-de-Marsan).
Kefu and Mignardi are expected to receive the heaviest sanctions.
On March 29, star-studded Toulon travelled to Pau and lost a bad tempered encounter 24-23. But the score was the least of the big-budgeted club's worries.
A general punch-up occurred just before half-time after manager Tana Umaga, who reportedly insulted the referee, and prop Saimone Taumoepeau who allegedly kicked a Pau player, received red cards.
Philip Fitzgerald and George Gregan also received yellow cards, which left Toulon to start the second-half with just twelve players against 14-man Pau. The hosts were without Costanzo who started the mélee and also got yellow card.
Just hours later Agen faced off with Mont de Marsan as a brawl involving both teams, and some spectators, broke at in the centre off the pitch on the stroke of full-time.
The altercation, which rounded off a match which saw three yellow cards dished out, left Mont de Marsan lock Laurent Travini with a fractured eye socket and saw an Agen fan leave in an ambulance, unconscious.
In both incidents, refereeing decisions were the catalysts for the fisticuffs.
In typically outspoken fashion, Toulon president Mourad Boudjellal has called for the French governing body to investigate the level of refereeing in the Pro D2.
“The referees are below par. They are not competent to referee a Toulon match,” said the infuriated millionaire after the match.
“They're amateurs! Their level of refereeing is catastrophic.
“I demand that we be refereed by professionals that have already officiated in the Top 14. What happened is disgraceful.
“He [referee Gaudefrin] gave a red card to Tana Umaga and a yellow to George Gregan. That's great for his collection. If rugby wants to be professional, it needs to think seriously about the refereeing. It's a real problem.”
It's not the first time this season that Toulon have been in the wars. In mid-March they were involved in another general dust-up against Tarbes after which the clubs were fined 10,000 and 5,000 Euros respectively.