Azam kick earns him a 12-week ban
GLOUCESTER hooker Olivier Azam was last night handed a 12-week ban for kicking England captain Steve Borthwick in the eye.
The Frenchman had only just returned from a nine-week eye-gouging ban when he clashed with Saracens star Borthwick in their Premiership clash on 27 September.
Borthwick needed five stitches after being hurt in a ruck during his side’s 19-16 victory, but is expected to return on 15 October when Saracens face Toulon in the Challenge Cup.
Azam is banned until 29 December, forcing him out of Gloucester’s first four Heineken Cup matches and the next six Premiership games.
Gloucester have conceded a massive 72 penalties in their five matches so far at an average of 14 a match, with six players shown yellow cards.
But while insisting his side are not dirty, head coach Bryan Redpath admits his men must wise up.
“If someone does something on the pitch it has an impact on the whole club,” he said. “If a ref says, ‘next time it’s a yellow,’ we have to be whiter than white.”