Sale Sharks rugby director handed six-week touchline ban

Rugby Football Union (RFU) on Thursday confirmed a six-week touchline ban for Sale Sharks rugby director Steve Diamond.

The 48-year-old was charged with verbally abusing match officials following Sale Sharks' 13-10 victory over Harlequins in their Anglo Welsh encounter on 3rd February and pleaded guilty in front of an RFU disciplinary panel on Wednesday.

Diamond will have to serve three weeks of his ban immediately while the remaining three weeks has been suspended until the end of 2018/19 season.

Apart from the ban, the former hooker has also been docked £3,000 as fine, half of which will be needed to be paid immediately while the remaining half has been suspended until the 2018/19 season.

In case Diamond finds himself in a similar offence in future, the suspended clause will be activated.

A statement released by RFU disciplinary panel said that: "The panel deprecates any abuse of match officials, regardless of the circumstances. Such behaviour is contrary to the spirit of rugby and the core values of the game and will be treated seriously by disciplinary panels."

Sale Sharks are placed 10th in the Aviva Premiership table with 29 points from 15 games.