Suspension sure to anger Lions

Danny Grewcock

Serial offender Danny Grewcock became the latest Lions player to exit the tour yesterday, banned for two months for biting All Black hooker Keven Mealamu.

It is the third time Grewcock has been suspended after tests against the All Blacks in New Zealand.

He was banned after being sent off for kicking Anton Oliver at Dunedin in 1998, suspended last year after being cited for trampling in the test at Eden Park and outed yesterday for biting.

Grewcock did not make England's tour to New Zealand in 2003 for their one-off test because he was serving a ban for punching Lawrence Dallaglio in club play.

The latest suspension and Mealamu's escape from a dual citing the Lions wanted in connection with captain Brian O'Driscoll's dislocated shoulder, will further incense the tourists.

They were already under seige after a miserable evening in the test, while they lost O'Driscoll, flanker Richard Hill and utility Tom Shanklin from the tour through injury and then missed out on their plea for Mealamu and his skipper Tana Umaga to be cited.

Instead Grewcock, the 32-year-old lock with a reputation for a lack of discipline, was called to a judicial hearing by citing commissioner Willem Venter.

Grewcock had been involved in the first test at Christchurch for only six minutes as a replacement when he bit Mealamu's right ring finger.

Australian judicial officer Terry Willis accepted that Mealamu's fingers inadvertently entered Grewcock's mouth at a breakdown.

But instead of removing Mealamu's fingers in a conventional manner, Grewcock bit one, and Willis found the Lions lock guilty of biting.

Willis presided over a hearing of about five hours where he heard that Grewcock had played 38 tests for England and five games for the Lions and, while he had a disciplinary record, he had never been dealt with for a biting offence.

After considering the penalty requirements as determined by International Rugby Board regulations, Willis decided an appropriate sanction was two months' suspension.

On this tour Grewcock played against Taranaki and Wellington with stints as a substitute against Otago and the All Blacks.

Grewcock was suspended from all rugby until August 26.

His replacement and the 50th Lion to be picked to tour will be Welsh lock Brent Cockbain, brother of Australian player Matt.