Edinburgh Rugby's Phil Burleigh banned for Stade Francais return trip

He's been handed a one week ban.

Published 14th Dec 2016

Edinburgh centre Phil Burleigh will miss Thursday's trip to Paris after he was handed a one-week ban for slapping Stade Francais' Pascal Pape.

Burleigh lashed out at the French lock during Saturday's European Challenge Cup clash at Murrayfield.

He was sent off by English referee Craig Maxwell-Keys following the 55th-minute spat and has been issued with a further punishment following an independent disciplinary hearing in London on Wednesday.

Burleigh pleaded guilty to striking his opponent's face but the panel decided his offence was at the low end of World Rugby's sanctions list and banned him for two weeks, with seven days then deducted on account of Burleigh's clean disciplinary record, his guilty plea and expression of remorse''.

Pape - the 86-times capped Les Bleus skipper - has also been given a slap on the wrists after he made the most of the incident by theatrically throwing himself to the ground.

The 36-year-old has been issued with a warning by citing commissioner Eddie Wigglesworth after he was found to have acted contrary to good sportsmanship''. Edinburgh claimed a historic 28-23 win over the Top 14 big guns to put them top of Pool 5.

They now head to the French capital for this week's return clash, with acting head coach Duncan Hodge having made eight changes to his team for the Stade Jean Bouin fixture.

It'll be tough and physical, but the fight we showed to come back from a 17-point deficit in last week's affair shows the character this squad possess,'' said Hodge.