Leicester Tigers' Brown suspended for swearing

Mike Brown has won 72 caps for England during his career

Leicester back Mike Brown has been suspended for two weeks after he swore at match officials following his red card in their 21-19 home defeat by Bristol Bears.

The 38-year-old former England player, who was sent off in the 71st minute after making head contact in a tackle, was given a five-week ban, three suspended to the end of the season.

Brown was also ordered to give "a presentation on the values of the game which is to be recorded and shared for educational use and to help demonstrate why such behaviour will not be tolerated in rugby”.

The loss to Bristol on 27 April ended Leicester's hopes of reaching the end-of-season Premiership play-offs.

Brown admitted a charge of conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game by disrespecting the authority of the match officials.

He will be unavailable for the Premiership trip to Sale Sharks on 10 May. Tigers have a friendly game against Georgia Black Lion on Friday.

An independent panel found that Brown had sworn as he left the pitch at Welford Road and that they were satisfied he "intended to be disrespectful about all the match officials".

Their adjudication said: "Such offending is a direct undermining of the authority of the match officials and an attack on the game's ethos and core values."