Grimes appeal turned down

Suspended Scotland lock Stuart Grimes will be forced to serve out a two-match ban for trampling, after his appeal was turned down by an IRB Appeals Tribunal on Thursday.

Stuart Grimes: Still in the dock

Grimes was cited after Scotland's first Test against the Wallabies in Melbourne last weekend for stamping Wallaby No.8 David Lyons in the final minute of the game.

Referee Paul Honiss witnessed the incident and cautioned Grimes for his conduct.

But the big second rower later appeared in front of a IRB judiciary committee where the original sentence was delivered.

Grimes was supported in his appeal by Wallaby coach Eddie Jones, who felt the matter had been dealt with sufficiently by Honiss.

"I don't think you can discount the fact it was foolish, but at the same time it was dealt with on the field - and we have got one of the best referees dealing with it as he felt it should be dealt with," said Jones.

"At the end of the day, no one was injured, no one was hurt. It should be the end of the matter.

"I don't agree with the judiciary coming over the top of the referee."

The Appeals Tribunal clearly felt differently to Jones and upheld the ban which effectively rules out Grimes from all rugby until midnight on August 13 2004.

In a statment released on Thursday the Appeals Tribunal acknowledged that missing a Test match was a "great loss" to Grimes. However it was of the view that the breach of the laws was serious enough to warrant it.

The Appeals Committee consisted of John N Gleeson QC (Chairman), John Freedman and Bruce Smith.