Julien Dupuy To Appeal Gouging Ban

RUGBY UNION - Julien Dupuy is going to appeal his six-month ban for gouging in a Heineken Cup match between his Stade Francais side and Ulster in December. 26-year-old Dupuy was found guilty of gouging the eyes of flanker Stephen Ferris in a bad-tempered game which Ulster won 23-13. Dupuy is set to appeal his six-month ban despite the fact that the maximum ban available to the authorities was three years.

Dupuy has won six caps for France, but unless his appeal is successful he will not be adding to that number as he is banned June 3 2010, ruling Dupuy out of the Six Nations championship as well as all club games for Stade Francais. As part of his appeal, Dupuy is likely to say that he does not deserve such a long ban because he fully confessed to the offence and made his apologies to the authorities and to Ferris himself.

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