NORTHAMPTON AND Ireland flanker Neil Best has been suspended for 18 weeks following an English RFU disciplinary hearing into an incident involving the Wasps flanker James Haskell in an English Premiership match at Franklin's Gardens on September 20th. He is thus barred from playing until next January 29th.

Best admitted making contact with "the eye or eye area" of his opponent, an action that caused tangible damage to the England international.

The hearing took place in London on Tuesday before a three-man panel chaired by the RFU's disciplinary officer Judge Jeff Blackett and including Jeff Probyn and Peter Budge.

The findings were released yesterday morning.

The 29-year-old former Ulster flanker had been cited by English Premiership citing officer Ken Pattinson following the Saints' 24-20 victory over Wasps at Franklin's Gardens. Haskell gave evidence before the panel, confirming his written statement made after the game that Best "gratuitously commenced to gouge at (his) eye with increasing intensity".

Haskell said his vision became increasingly blurred; he suffered excruciating pain and felt physically sick because of soreness.

He was later taken to Northampton General Hospital, where an ophthalmologist diagnosed a corneal abrasion and prescribed antibiotic drops.

Photographs taken a day after the game showed significant swelling around Haskell's eye. It was closed and bruised, and there was a one-centimetre scratch on the upper eyelid.

Best contended his actions had been reckless rather than malicious and he had not intended to inflict serious damage, adding that the contact with the eye had been "fleeting".

The incident occurred at a ruck where the 18-times-capped Ireland international tried to drag Haskell up and back by the Wasps player's scrumcap.

Best, on seeing Haskell lying on the ground and clutching his face at the next break in play, realised he might have made contact with the Englishman's eye and immediately went over to apologise.

The panel said it accepted Best had not intentionally searched for Haskell's eye and did not intend to inflict serious injury, but he had tried to grab somewhere on his head to pull him up and backwards. They disagreed with Best's argument that contact with the eye was "fleeting".

Best joined Northampton from Ulster during the summer and had made a very positive impact at his new club.

Saints' director of rugby Jim Mallinder, the club's forwards coach Dorian West and the former Ulster coach Alan Solomons all offered testimony supporting Best's good character, illustrated by the statistic that despite being noted for his physicality he had never been cited or sent off during 150 senior matches for club and country.

The disciplinary panel in a written judgment contended: "The nature of the player's action was grave. Placing fingers in and around opponents' eyes constitutes one of the most serious offences in the game because of the risk of permanent, career-ending damage.

"Contact was clearly painful and caused significant injury, continuing distress and some mental anguish to Haskell, who initially feared first for his sight and subsequently that he might not be able to play again."

They did though take into consideration and accept the testimonials and confirmed they had been especially impressed with Solomons's willingness to travel to London in support of Best.

The document continued: "In reaching this conclusion, the panel has taken into consideration the fact that this offence was entirely out of character and will be a significant blemish on his record.

"We also took into account the damaging effect this will have on the player's club and international playing career, and the risk that he will suffer financial loss. The panel is satisfied that this is commensurate and proportionate with the seriousness of the offence."

The entry level in terms of suspension for an offence of this nature is 36 weeks but the panel decided to cut it in half because of Best's conduct, genuine remorse and blemish-free record.

Best and his club have until midday today to lodge an appeal if any with the RFU.

Northampton issued a statement that read: "In the light of the detail of the judgment, the club and player are in the process of seeking legal advice and will make a further statement."

That is likely to come this morning as the club were engaged in a Premiership game against local rivals Leicester last night.

Best would miss approximately 17 club matches as things stand and would be unavailable for Ireland's November Test series against Canada, New Zealand and Argentina. His ban would end the week before Ireland begin their Six Nations Championship campaign in February.

Banned list Irish internationals in the dock

Trevor Brennan.

The Toulouse and Ireland player had a life ban commuted to five years on appeal after being found guilty of striking an Ulster supporter, Patrick Bamford. The offence occurred during a Heineken Cup pool match between Toulouse and Ulster in January 2007. It effectively ended Brennan's playing career.

Peter Clohessy.

The Young Munster, Munster and Ireland prop received a 26-week suspension after being found guilty of stamping on Olivier Roumat during a Five Nations Championship match between Ireland and France in Paris (1996). The French secondrow wasn't injured in the incident and refused to blame Clohessy.

Dylan O'Grady

The Manchester-born former bouncer, who won his only cap for Ireland against Italy in Bologna in 1997, was once suspended for 20 weeks following a head-butting incident while playing for Sale.

He also spent nine months in jail for a drug-related offence before committing 10 years to Fylde rugby club, from where he retired as player/coach in April of this year.

Frankie Sheahan

Had a two-year ban for testing positive for salbutamol - he had a ventolin inhaler for his asthma - following a Heineken Cup match in 2003 reduced to three months on appeal. The appeal hearing accepted new evidence that the player's dehydration in the heat of Toulouse had given rise to abnormal levels of salbutamol.