Joan Caudullo waited until after the 69-10 win over Castres on Sunday, November 1 to say what he thought of Lenni Nouchi’s ban.
His complaint is about where the case came from. The LNR disciplinary committee had reduced Nouchi’s orange card to a yellow, which spared him any sanction. The federal appeal committee then banned him for three weeks, after an appeal by the FFR.
A ban that reaches France
Nouchi missed Castres and will miss the home game against Lyon, but the period also covers France’s first two November games, against Fiji on the 7th and South Africa on the 13th. The practical effect is limited: the Montpellier captain was not in Fabien Galthié’s squad because of a quad injury picked up at Bath on October 17.
Joan CaudulloSanctioning a France player for France games through the French federation, I find that strange and surprising. It’s peculiar. Maybe there are South Africans and Argentines at the FFR.
64 club minutes this season
The 22-year-old back-rower, who has 8 caps, has so far played 13 Top 14 minutes this season, in the Toulon game that started the case, and 51 Champions Cup minutes at Bath. He played 1,357 league minutes last season, with six tries.
Key figures
64 Nouchi's minutes for Montpellier this season, all competitions
1,357 his Top 14 minutes last season, in 20 games
3 weeks ban, after the LNR had reduced the card to a yellow
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