RUGBY NEWS:DAVID ATTOUB yesterday had his appeal against a 70-week ban for gouging thrown out by an independent appeal committee.

The Stade Francais prop was handed the original suspension in January after being found guilty of making contact with the eye or eye area of Ulster’s Stephen Ferris in a Heineken Cup clash on December 12th, 2009.

The appeal hearing was held in London on Tuesday with Attoub appealing against both the finding of foul play and level of sanction imposed. But the appeal committee yesterday ruled he “had not demonstrated that the original decision had been in error and therefore dismissed the appeal”.

Attoub is now banned until April 22nd, 2011. Jeff Blackett, the independent judicial officer at Attoub’s initial disciplinary hearing had described the incident as “the worst act of contact with the eyes I have had to deal with”.

Attoub had said he was “traumatised” by the ban and his club were quick to rally around the player’s decision to appeal.

But their failure to have the suspension reduced or annulled means the ban remains the second-most severe to have been handed out for a gouging offence in the professional era, exceeded only by the two-year ban handed to Colomiers prop Richard Nones in 1999.

The 28-year-old, who had previously served a suspension for gouging in a European match during the 2004-05 season, had pleaded not guilty to the offence although the incident was captured clearly in an image taken by a photographer at the match.

Attoub’s team-mate Julien Dupuy is currently serving a 23-week ban after he was also found guilty of gouging Ireland international Ferris during Stade’s 23-13 defeat at Ravenhill. The scrumhalf’s suspension was initially 24 weeks but it was reduced by one week on appeal.

Crusaders rugby league club are poised to confirm the capture of former Wales and British Lions fullback Gareth Thomas. The Wrexham-based club have called a press conference for 1pm today to make what they call “a major announcement regarding the club”.

That is expected to be the unveiling of the 35-year-old Cardiff Blues player, who is the most capped Welshman of all time. Thomas is thought to have agreed an 18-month contract to become the biggest convert from rugby union since the 15-man code went professional in 1995.