Sale's Mark Cueto has been banned for nine weeks but will be available for England's World Cup warm-up games © Getty Images

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Players/Officials: Mark Cueto

Tournaments/Tours: Aviva Premiership

Teams: England | Sale Sharks

Sale Sharks winger Mark Cueto has been banned for nine weeks after pleading guilty to "making contact with the eye or eye area" of Northampton lock Christian Day during their Aviva Premiership loss at Franklin's Gardens earlier this month.

Cueto's ban has been back-dated to start on April 4, the day he was handed a six-week internal suspension by his club Sale Sharks. The Rugby Football Union (RFU) disciplinary panel judged Cueto's actions to have been a mid-range offence, which carries a punishment of 18 weeks, but that sanction was halved after Cueto delivered what the RFU tonight described as "compelling mitigation".

The nine-week suspension means Cueto will be available for England's Rugby World Cup warm-up Tests in August and the tournament, which begins against Argentina on September 10.

The 31-year-old, a key figure in England's recent Six Nations title-winning campaign, was cited by independent citing officer Matt Bayliss for the incident which occured during the Saints' crushing 53-24 victory over the Sharks on April 2.

The incident occurred as Cueto and Day, who are former Sale team-mates, fought off the ball in the build-up to the Sharks' second try, scored by Wame Lewaravu. ESPN Television footage showed Cueto placing his hand on Day's face, with his fingers seemingly bent like a claw. Cueto did not contest the charge, known colloquially as gouging.

Cueto's current England team-mate Dylan Hartley collected a six-month suspension in 2007 for gouging, and it is an offence the sport's disciplinarians have repeatedly vowed to crack down on. When Sale imposed their own suspension, director of sport Steve Diamond said: "Mark let the club and his team-mates down, and he is very upset that he has done so."

The club ban already guaranteed Cueto would miss the remainder Aviva Premiership season but it will have come as some relief that his World Cup ambitions were not wrecked as well. Had the panel not reduced the suspension by 50%, Cueto would have been banned until August 8 and missed England's first warm-up game with Wales.

However, Cueto will now link up with England for their summer training camp on June 20 ahead of the August internationals against Wales, home and away, and Ireland.

The full RFU statement read: "A Rugby Football Union Disciplinary Panel met in Liverpool tonight (April 11, 2011) to consider the citing of Sale Sharks player Mark Cueto, who was reported by independent citing officer Matt Bayliss for making contact with the eye or eye area of an opponent contrary to Law 10(4)(m) during the Aviva Premiership match against Northampton Saints at Franklin's Gardens on April 2, 2011.

"At the hearing Cueto did not contest the citing and he was suspended for nine weeks. The suspension runs from April 4 to June 6, 2011 and he can resume playing on June 7, 2011. The panel decided that this was a mid-entry offence, which attracts a ban of 18 weeks, but because of the player's compelling mitigation he received the full 50% discount. Antony Davies, chaired the panel, which also comprised Clif Barker and David MacInnes. The player has the right of appeal."