Stade Francais' Jerome Fillol cited for 'spitting' at Bath's Peter Stringer
Stade Francais scrum-half Jerome Fillol has been cited for 'spitting' at Bath's Peter Stringer.
TV footage showed Fillol appearing to spit in the face of opposite number Stringer ahead of a first-half scrum in Stade's 36-20 win at the Rec.
It was not spotted by referee Nigel Owens and his assistants at the time, but citing commissioner Eugene Ryan has decided Fillol has a case to answer.
Fillol, 35, could be banned for between four and 52 weeks.
His disciplinary hearing will take place in Dublin on Thursday 11 April.
“Spitting on Stringer should be punished to the full extent of the law” Brett Gosper IRB chief executive
Speaking after the match, Stringer said: "There is no place in the game for it. That's as low as you can probably go.
"Obviously it is a bit raw at the moment,
"When you are on the end of something like that you are rattled by it, but try not to dwell on it. It's out of my hands now," the former Ireland international added.
Bath first-team coach Toby Booth admitted he had not seen the incident, but also expressed his disapproval.
"I would be pretty disappointed, as I am sure everyone would be, if that is proved to be true. There is no place for that at all," he said.
Brett Gosper, the chief executive of the International Rugby Board, also took a critical view of the incident on the social media website Twitter, posting: "Spitting on Stringer should be punished to the full extent of the law. #NotRugby."
Stade prop Rabah Slimani has also been cited after being sin-binned just before half-time after tackling Nick Abendanon in the air.