Five rugby players who were banned for biting an opponent

Lions prop Kyle Sinckler could be the latest to join that club after being cited for an alleged bite during Saturday's second Test defeat by South Africa, World Rugby has announced.

The incident is alleged to have taken place during a ruck in the 64th minute of the 27-9 loss at Cape Town Stadium.

Sinckler, 28, could face a minimum 12-week ban if the citing is upheld at a disciplinary hearing on Tuesday.

Here are five other examples of famous bites in rugby union.

In the final game of the 2012 6 Nations Championship between Ireland and England, the hooker bit down on the finger of flanker Stephen Ferris. Hartley had received a lengthy ban for gouging in 2007 (some 26 weeks) but was only handed a 8-week break in 2012, meaning that he was clear to tour in the summer with England, despite missing Northampton’s end of season charge.

The winger was banned for no less than 13 weeks following two biting incidents that took place in the Aviva Premiership in 2016. He was cited for allegedly biting Alex Waller of Northampton Saints on not one but two separate occasions, the first happening in the 24th minute and the second a minute later.

Botha not only left a purple bite mark on the shoulder of Wallabies hooker Brendan Cannon but also eye-gouged his opponent, albeit after Cannon retaliated for the bite. Botha was banned for eight weeks for the 2003 gouge but missed just one Test after it was found there was too little evidence to proceed with a biting charge.

In 1994, during the second Test in a series between the two in Wellington, Johan ‘Le Beast’ Le Roux decided that chomping down on the ear of All Black captain Sean Fitzpatrick was a totally sane, normal, tasty way of dealing with the celebrated hooker. The All Blacks won 13-9 in the close, niggly affair, with the blood-dripped Fitzpatrick celebrating a Series win.

The Zebre hooker received a straight red card for biting Connacht lock Quinn Roux during a 2016 Champions Cup match out in Parma. Roux showed the bitemark to referee Mathieu Raynal, who dismissed the Italian forward.