Heineken Cup
Ayerza and Marler miss Euro clashes
ESPNscrum Staff
April 4, 2011
Leicester's Marcos Ayerza and Harlequins' Joe Marler come to blows, Harlequins v Leicester Tigers, Aviva Premiership, The Stoop, London, England, April 2, 2011
Marco Ayerza and Joe Marler went head to head during the clash between Leicester and Harlequins © Getty Images
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Players/Officials: Marcos Ayerza | Joe Marler
Tournaments/Tours: Heineken Cup | Aviva Premiership

Leicester prop Marcos Ayerza will miss this weekend's Heineken Cup quarter-final against Leinster after being given a two-week suspension by the Rugby Football Union.

The Argentina international was sent off by referee Wayne Barnes for fighting with Harlequins' Joe Marler during the Aviva Premiership game between the sides on Saturday, which the Tigers won 17-13.

Marler, who was also got a red card for his part in the brawl, has received an identical punishment and will miss Quins' Amlin Cup quarter final clash with Wasps on Friday night. Both players had pleaded guilty to the charges.

Ayerza will also miss Leicester's Aviva Premiership clash with fellow play-off candidates Glouceseter on April 16 while Quins will be without Marler for their match with Bath at the Rec on the same day. Both men will be free to play again on April 19.

Jeff Blackett, the chairman of the RFU disciplinary panel, said of the incident involving Ayerza and Marler: "This was unacceptable behaviour which was captured on live television and not something we want to see in our game. That said, both offences were deemed to have a low-end entry point for sanction.

"The starting point for Ayerza striking with the head was four weeks, reduced to two for his guilty plea and relatively good record. Marler's sanction did not alter from the two-week entry point because, despite his guilty plea, his previous disciplinary record counted against him."

The other player to appear before the RFU, Sale's Neil Biggs, was told he would receive no further punishment after being shown two yellow cards against Northampton on Saturday.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

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