Italy’s Bergamasco found guilty

The Italian flanker given a 13 week suspension.

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Mauro Bergamasco: Guilty of eye-gouging
[GALLO/GETTY]

Italy flanker Mauro Bergamasco will play no further part in this year’s Six Nations after being suspended for 13 weeks, after being found guilty of eye-gouging.

The independent citing commissioner deemed the Italian deliberately placed his finger in the eye of Wales full back Lee Byrne during Italy’s 47-8 defeat in Cardiff on Saturday.

“The three-man Disciplinary Committee considered the offence to merit an entry point in the mid range of sanctions laid down in the IRB Reg. 17 and took into account the player’s admission of guilt and other mitigating factors,” a Six Nations statement said.

Bergamasco will be free to resume playing on June 2.

Lock Carlo Del Fava was also cited for an incident during the Wales game with an announcement on his hearing expected later.

On Tuesday, the cited pair were left out of Italy’s squad for their next Six Nations championship match against France in Paris on March 9.

France ring changes

Meanwhile, France coach Marc Lievremont recalled No. 8 Imanol Harinordoquy and center Yannick Jauzion and named five rookies for the clash with Italy.

France was beaten 24-13 by England last weekend to drop to 2-1 in the championship, and Lievremont is keen to try out some more new players at Stade de France.

Prop Fabien Barcella, hooker Guillem Guirado, flanker Ibrahim Diarra, scrumhalf Julien Tomas and center Yann David are called up for the first time, while winger Julien Malzieu also returns after sitting out the last two games because of a thigh muscle tear from the team’s opening win against Scotland.

Scrumhalf Dimitri Yachvili is the only recognised goalkicker, although center Damien Traille could take the kicking duties despite missing two penalties against England.

French Squad:

Forwards: Fabien Barcella, Nicolas Mas, Jean-Baptiste Poux, Guillem Guirado, Dimitri Szarzewski, Lionel Nallet, Pascal Pape, Jerome Thion, Ibrahim Diarra, Imanol Harinordoquy, Fulgence Ouedraogo, Louis Picamoles

Backs: Julien Tomas, Dimitri Yachvili, Francois Trinh-Duc, Yann David, Damien Traille, Yannick Jauzion, Vincent Clerc, Julien Malzieu, Aurelien Rougerie, Anthony Floc.

Source: News Agencies