Sale's Hill gets 10-week ban for Bath fan incident

Jonny Hill missed the second half of last season with a patella tendon injury sustained in January

England forward Jonny Hill has been given a 10-week suspension following an incident involving a fan after Sale's Premiership semi-final defeat by Bath in June.

A 28-year-old man complained that he was left with a cut above his eye.

Hill appeared before an independent disciplinary panel on Monday regarding a "breach of conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game" - specifically an allegation that he "physically abused" a spectator.

He accepted the charge against him.

Hill's club Sale and Avon and Somerset Police both said they were investigating the incident at the time it occurred.

The 30-year-old's ban has been backdated, and four weeks of the ban have been suspended until next season. He will be eligible for selection from 7 December, Sale said.

"The panel concluded the appropriate starting point was a 20-week suspension from playing," said Philip Evans KC, chair of the independent panel.

"They also found the circumstances of this case to be exceptional and as a consequence, and because of the substantial mitigation available to Jonny Hill, that starting point was reduced to 10 weeks, four of which will be suspended until the conclusion of the 2025-26 season.

"In addition he is required to give a presentation to young players at the club which is to be recorded and provided to the RFU [Rugby Football Union]."

England international Hill has not played since January.

He sustained a season-ending patella tendon injury in their Champions Cup loss to La Rochelle, and watched Sale's semi-final defeat from the stands at the Recreation Ground.

Sale sit eighth in the Premiership table, having won three of their six games so far this season.