Azam ban could end career

Gloucester hooker Olivier Azam may have played his last game of rugby after he was handed a four-week ban by the RFU.

Gloucester man could enter retirement on the back of four-week ban

Gloucester hooker Olivier Azam may have played his last game of rugby after he was handed a four-week ban by the RFU for his headbutt on Northampton's Adam Eustace. Azam is set to retire at the end of the current season, but cannot now play again until May 25, with only the Aviva Premiership final left to play at that stage of the season. The incident with Eustace occurred when the sides met at Kingsholm on April 19 and the punishment was handed down by a disciplinary committee comprising Rugby Football Union disciplinary officer Judge Jeff Blackett, Robert Horner and Jeremy Summers. Blackett said: "This was at the lower end of the scale of offending which is four weeks. "The panel increased the sanction to six weeks to reflect his poor disciplinary record but then reduced the sanction by two weeks to reflect his genuine remorse, his plea of guilty and his good conduct at the hearing. "We were also aware that he is likely to retire at the end of this season and may already have played his last game of professional rugby." Azam is free to play again on May 25, which is just three days before the Aviva Premiership final and unless Gloucester have made it all the way it seems Azam could well have played for the final time. Northampton second row Mark Sorenson also appeared in front of the panel on Wednesday and was cleared of a charge of making a dangerous tackle on Newcastle forward Tim Swinson during his side's 22-15 victory last Friday.