Gloucester fined for fielding Mariano Galarza against Sale

Mariano Galarza has played 24 times for Argentina

Gloucester have been fined £5,000 and given a suspended two-point deduction for fielding an incorrectly registered player in a Premiership match.

Argentine lock Mariano Galarza, 28, did not hold registration when selected for the 23-6 defeat at Sale on 29 March.

An independent panel said the breach was an "administrative error" and not done to gain a competitive advantage.

A points penalty will only be applied if "relevant regulations" are breached again by the end of the 2016-17 season.

Jeremy Summers, who chaired the independent panel, said there were "circumstances specific to this case" which meant it was appropriate to suspend the points deduction.

Galarza joined Gloucester, who are ninth in the Premiership, from Worcester in the summer of 2014.