"Miss the rest of the season" - Former England U20 star given 15 week ban

Friday, 13 January 2023 at 16:35

byRugby Rucker

Jordan Onojaife, a second row for Bedford Blues, was given a 15-week ban by the RFU for biting Ealing's Carlo Tizzano during a December match.

The incident occurred during a melee in the closing stages of the game and Onojaife was initially given a yellow card.

However, the RFU upheld a charge of "physical abuse" against Onojaife under World Rugby regulations, resulting in a 15-week ban for the 85-time Bedford Blues player, who will miss all but one of the team's remaining games.

Five rugby players who were banned for biting an opponent

Here are five other examples of famous bites in rugby union.

#1. Dylan Hartley

In the final game of the 2012 6 Nations Championship between Ireland and England, the hooker bit down on the finger of flanker Stephen Ferris. Hartley had received a lengthy ban for gouging in 2007 (some 26 weeks) but was only handed a 8-week break in 2012, meaning that he was clear to tour in the summer with England, despite missing Northampton’s end of season charge.

#2. Chris Ashton

The winger was banned for no less than 13 weeks following two biting incidents that took place in the Aviva Premiership in 2016. He was cited for allegedly biting Alex Waller of Northampton Saints on not one but two separate occasions, the first happening in the 24th minute and the second a minute later.

#3. Bakkies Botha

Botha not only left a purple bite mark on the shoulder of Wallabies hooker Brendan Cannon but also eye-gouged his opponent, albeit after Cannon retaliated for the bite. Botha was banned for eight weeks for the 2003 gouge but missed just one Test after it was found there was too little evidence to proceed with a biting charge.

#4. Johan Le Roux

In 1994, during the second Test in a series between the two in Wellington, Johan ‘Le Beast’ Le Roux decided that chomping down on the ear of All Black captain Sean Fitzpatrick was a totally sane, normal, tasty way of dealing with the celebrated hooker. The All Blacks won 13-9 in the close, niggly affair, with the blood-dripped Fitzpatrick celebrating a Series win.

#5. Oliviero Fabiani

The Zebre hooker received a straight red card for biting Connacht lock Quinn Roux during a 2016 Champions Cup match out in Parma. Roux showed the bitemark to referee Mathieu Raynal, who dismissed the Italian forward.