Arizona Tribune - Stade Francais suspend Habel-Kuffner over Pau fracas

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Stade Francais suspend Habel-Kuffner over Pau fracas
Stade Francais suspend Habel-Kuffner over Pau fracas / Photo: GAIZKA IROZ - 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.

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"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.

T.Perez--AT