Dean Richards: Newcastle Falcons boss banned for three games after referee criticism

Dean Richards was charged with misconduct after comments about referee Christophe Ridley and his officiating team

Newcastle Falcons director of rugby Dean Richards has been given a three-game ban after criticising the referee following Sunday's defeat by Exeter.

Richards, 58, will now miss the Falcons' upcoming Premiership games against Bath, Harlequins and Saracens.

Callum Chick was sent off for a shot on Exeter's Josh Hodge, which saw shoulder connect with head, with Richards questioning the officials' decision.

Richards claimed they made a "quick decision" rather than a correct one.

Falcons captain Chick has himself been banned for three weeks for the challenge.

Martin Picton, chair of the disciplinary panel, said Richards "accepted in the hearing that the words he used were ill-considered, clumsy and expressed with a degree of anger".

"He expressed himself in disrespectful terms in the course of two separate interviews and he accepted that, absent the context his remarks should have had, they were capable of being misunderstood and thus damaging to the game as a whole," he added.

Richards was also directed to conduct a presentation to his club, and a local school or grassroots club, about the need for respect for match officials.