Italy's Simone Gesi free to play despite ban for gouging in last URC round

Italy and Zebre winger Simone Gesi is free to play this weekend in the United Rugby Championship despite receiving a two-week ban for gouging in March.

The 24-year-old was dismissed by referee Craig Evans in the first half of Ulster’s 28-12 victory over Zebre on March 28 at the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi for making contact with the eyes of Stuart McCloskey in a maul.

Gesi was provisionally suspended immediately, meaning he missed Zebre’s Challenge Cup round of 16 victory over Pau and their quarter-final defeat to Dragons.

The five-cap Italy international accepted that he had committed an act of foul play, which warranted a red card, in a hearing this week.

Following the hearing, the disciplinary panel of Neil Snellenburg SC, (South Africa), Sibonile Khoza (South Africa) and Beth Dickens (Scotland) determined that the incident met the red card threshold with the low-end entry point of four weeks.

Due to the player’s apology, exemplary record and conduct throughout the disciplinary process, the ban was halved, meaning he has already serve his two-match suspension.

Gesi is therefore eligible to play this weekend as Zebre travel to take on Edinburgh on Friday in the URC’s return.