Cheetahs' bad boy Nche banned for 8 weeks

Cape Town - Cheetahs prop Ox Nche faced a disciplinary hearing on Wednesday via video conference and has been banned for eight weeks.

A Disciplinary Committee met in Edinburgh, Scotland to consider the citing complaint against Nche which occurred against Leinster in their PRO14 clash on Friday, March 1 in which Nche was shown a yellow card for an incident in the ninth minute involving Leinster wing Fergus McFadden.

The player was reported by the Citing Commissioner in charge for alleged infringement of Law 9.12 - A player must not physically abuse anyone and Law 9.25 - A player must not intentionally charge or obstruct an opponent who has just kicked the ball.

The Disciplinary Committee comprising of Sheriff Kathrine Mackie (chairperson), Roddy MacLeod and Ian Douglas (all Scotland), concluded that Nche had committed an act of foul play involving contact to the head.

In upholding the Citing Complaint, the Disciplinary Committee deemed that the offence merited a red card under Law 9.12 (Striking with the shoulder) and that the contact to the head was intentional with a top-end entry point of 10 weeks.

The committee took into account Nche's previously clean disciplinary record and his good conduct and applied 20% mitigation which reduces the ban to eight weeks.

To ensure the eight-week ban accounts for meaningful matches played by the Cheetahs in the PRO14 and the Currie Cup, Nche will be free to play from midnight on Sunday, May 19, 2019.

The player was reminded of his right to appeal.