Share

Cueto cited for eye gouging

London - England wing Mark Cueto has been cited for gouging, potentially throwing into doubt any hopes he has of taking part in the Rugby World Cup in September.

Cueto was cited by the Rugby Football Union for "making contact with the eye or eye area" of Northampton's Christian Day during Sale's English Premiership match on April 2 which they lost 53-24.

The 31-year-old will appear before an RFU Disciplinary Panel on April 11 to answer a charge that carries a minimum ban of 12 weeks.

While that would severely hinder his preparations ahead of the World Cup, the RFU also have scope to ban Cueto for more than 24 weeks if found guilty of a top-end offence.

The World Cup begins in New Zealand on September 9, meaning a long-term ban could potentially rule him out of the tournament.

Northampton hooker Dylan Hartley missed the previous World Cup in 2007 after he was banned for 26 weeks after being found guilty of a similar offence.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should the Proteas pick Faf du Plessis for the T20 World Cup in West Indies and the United States in June?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Faf still has a lot to give ...
67% - 738 votes
No! It's time to move on ...
33% - 366 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE