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Stade Francais suspend Habel-Kuffner over Pau fracas / Photo: © AFP/File
Stade Francais suspend Habel-Kuffner over Pau fracas
Samoan backrow forward Giovanni Habel-Kuffner will miss Stade Francais' opening matches in the Champions Cup after being handed a two-week suspension on Friday by the French club for his part in a fracas with a member of the Pau coaching staff during an unauthorised night out.
"Following the inappropriate and violent behavior of its player... and after having received the latter to hear him explain himself, the club management decided firstly on a sporting sanction," Stade said in a statement.
Habel-Kuffner, born in New Zealand to a German mother and Samoan father, and a former under-20s Samoa representative, will miss the Champions Cup clashes away to Sale on Sunday and at home to Leicester on December 17, the last day of the suspension.
The 28-year-old will also "take part in community service internally", with a financial sanction to be levied at a later date, the club added.
Stade last week disciplined players and coaches after the incident that followed the capital side's 30-6 defeat at Pau -- Habel-Kuffner's former club -- on November 25.
It said players and two members of the coaching staff had disobeyed orders not to leave the team hotel before the incident occurred.
K. Berger--BTZ
