Henson appeal decision delayed

A decision on whether the Ospreys will appeal against the bans on Gavin Henson and Ian Evans is likely to be delayed until the new year.

The club said yesterday that it had not received official documentation from the European Rugby Cup detailing the bans. Under ERC rules, an appeal must be lodged within 72 hours of the official confirmation being received.

Henson, the 23-year-old Wales and Lions centre, was suspended for 10 weeks and two days on Friday after being found guilty of elbowing Alex Moreno, the Leicester prop, during the Ospreys' 17-15 defeat in their Heineken Cup pool match last week. The ban includes the first three games of Wales' Six Nations title defence against England, Scotland and Ireland.

Evans, the Ospreys' lock, was banned for eight weeks for stamping on Harry Ellis, the Leicester scum-half, in the same pool match at Swansea.

Henson, who had recently been out of the game after surgery, was cited after an ERC match commissioner, looked at television footage. An ERC tribunaldecided Henson had intentionally struck Moreno.

Mike Ruddock, the Wales coach, said after the decision: "What this citing case proves is the importance for players at all levels to maintain good discipline."