Andy Hazell is hit with 14-week ban after red mist moment

ANDY Hazell has already played his last game for Gloucester in 2012.

The evergreen flanker was hit with a 14-week ban yesterday, for his sending off in Gloucester's 11-6 Mont de Marsan victory on October 11.

The 34-year-old pleaded guilty to the charge of striking an opponent at a disciplinary hearing in Dublin, and was handed a ban which means he will miss 14 games.

Gloucester-born Hazell will not be available for action until January 21, so the next game he could play in will be the Cherry and Whites' clash with Northampton Saints in the LV=Cup on the weekend of January 25.

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Hazell punched and kneed Mont de Marsan replacement Sebastien Ormaechea at Stade Guy Boniface after reacting to provocation.

The knee blow caused Amlin Challenge Cup organisers ERC to determine the severity of the incident as 'top end': that meant the lowest ban Hazell could have received was 12 weeks.

Judicial officer Roger Morris actually imposed an 16-week punishment, added two weeks for Hazell's disciplinary record and his failure to uphold the image of the game – then deducted four weeks for his exemplary conduct at the hearing and his guilty plea.

Hazell's red card was the first in his 16-year Gloucester career, and the Kingsholm club claimed he had been gouged repeatedly by Mont de Marsan players.

But ERC found insufficient evidence, and brought no charges against the French club.