Australian rugby league player Corey Norman has been given an eight-game suspension and fined for “internationally placing a hand between the buttocks of an opposing player,” the Rugby Football League announced on Wednesday.
The incident occurred between Toulouse’s Norman and Warrington Wolves’ Oliver Holmes during the two teams’ match last Thursday.
The 31-year-old Norman, who spent 11 years playing in Australia’s National Rugby League before joining Toulouse in April, pled not guilty to the offense.
But tribunal chair Justice Sarah Wright and the two side members, both former players, were “entirely satisfied” the act was intentional.
SOCIAL REACTION:
One fan wrote: “The thrill of victory, and the agony of the cheeks.”
“8 games for checking an opponent’s oil seems like an awfully light suspension.” another added.
A third commented: “He should have had a cheeky sniff of his finger afterwards to top it all off.”
“Did the ref rewatch it on the VARse to confirm or did he just sniff the fella’s finger?” a fourth added.
Another wrote: “When muscle memory comes out at the wrong time.”
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Most banned England players:
#5. Joe Marler – 23 weeks
In 2016, he received a two-week ban following the “gypsy boy” saga, involving Wales’ Samson Lee, which erupted out of the Six Nations game at Twickenham.
The same penalty was to follow a couple of months later after he was cited for kicking Grenoble hooker Arnaud Héguy while playing for Harlequins in the European Challenge Cup semi-final.
Marler was then banned for three weeks in October 2017 after striking Wasps and now Wales lock Will Rowlands with an elbow and for six weeks later that same season for a shoulder charge on Sale’s TJ Ioane.
And, of course, just last month he was suspended for ten weeeks for grabbing the genitals of Wales skipper Alun Wyn Jones in the Six Nations encounter at Twickenham.