Jonathan Joseph and two other England hopefuls handed bans - Ruck

Jonathan Joseph and two other England hopefuls handed bans

Wasps’ Gabriel Oghre and Bath Rugby players Jonathan Joseph and Elliott Stooke have been handed suspensions.

The three players all appeared before an online independent panel last night (Wednesday 10 February 2021).

They were charged with breaching RFU Rule 5.12 (conduct prejudicial to the interests of the union and/or game). This was for off-field infringements of the Government’s National Covid-19 Rules and related to mixing of multiple households, with two players travelling to visit the third.

Both clubs did their own detailed investigation into the breaches and took their own disciplinary action against the three players. 

All three players accepted the charges. Joseph was given a two week suspension, while Oghre and Stooke were given a three week suspension by the independent disciplinary panel comprising Ian Unsworth QC (chair) with Dr Julian Morris and Olly Kohn. Joseph is free to play again on 16 February 2021. Oghre and Stooke are free to play again on 23 February 2021.

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