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Ireland's Brennan banned for life

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LONDON, England -- Former Irish international Trevor Brennan has been banned for life from rugby union for punching a spectator.

Toulouse lock Brennan, who announced his retirement last Tuesday in expectation of heavy sanctions, did not attend the London hearing.

The ban was imposed by the disciplinary panel of the European Rugby Cup.

Brennan was also fined $33,250 and ordered to pay $6,650 in compensation to the fan he assaulted.

On January 21, Brennan climbed into the stands and punched Patrick Bamford during Toulouse's 28-13 win over Ulster in the Heineken Cup.

Brennan, 33, later apologized but said he was provoked by a group of Ulster fans who had insulted his mother and poured beer on him.

"It was the view of the committee that Mr. Brennan's behavior was completely unjustified and that he caused serious harm to an innocent spectator and significant damage to the image of rugby union," the three-man disciplinary panel said.

"The committee could not envisage more serious misconduct in relation to spectators and believed that the maximum permissible suspension was appropriate."

The ban specified that Brennan would never again be permitted to play rugby union or participate "in any capacity" in European Rugby Cup-organized tournaments.

Brennan, who won 13 Ireland caps between 1998 and 2001, had unsuccessfully attempted to have his hearing adjourned pending a separate civil case.

He has the right to appeal but it seems unlikely that he will exercise it in view of his retirement.

At the time of the incident Toulouse issued a statement saying Brennan had been subject to "unendurable provocation" by some Ulster fans.

Brennan's Toulouse team mate Gareth Thomas of Wales has served a four-week suspension, missing the first three games of the Six Nations, for his part in the fracas.

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