Wasps FC Ladies player receives six-week suspension for biting opponent

Elizabeth Crake of Wasps FC Ladies appeared before an RFU disciplinary panel this week.  Crake was cited by Independent Citing Commissioner Tony Lanaway for acts contrary to good sportsmanship, contrary to law 10.4(m) biting.

Crake allegedly bit Ceri Large of Gloucester-Hartpury Women’s RFC in the second half of the Gloucester-Hartpury Women’s RFC v Wasps FC Ladies Tyrrells Premier 15s match on 23 September 2017.  

Crake accepted the charged and has been suspended for six weeks. She is free to play again on 6 November, 2017.  

The chairman of the panel Dr Julian Morris said: "The panel found that this merited a low-end entry point. Due to the player's swift and full acceptance of the charge, her clear remorse for the event, her previously clean disciplinary record and conduct throughout the hearing, the panel decided to apply full mitigation and reduce the sanction to six weeks."  

The RFU disciplinary panel comprised of Dr Julian Morris alongside Mike Tutty and Becky Essex.

Wasps FC Ladies have won only one of their three opening matches and sit in ninth place heading into the next tound of fixtures in the Tyrrells Premier 15.

Gloucester-Hartpury Women’s RFC went on to win the fixture 26-22 and are currently joint top of the table with Harlequins Ladies, with three wins out of three so far this season.