Leicester Tigers are considering their options of appeal after director of rugby Richard Cockerill was banned for nine matches at a Rugby Union (RFU) disciplinary hearing.
Cockerill pleaded not guilty to the charge of "conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game" after an exchange with fourth official Stuart Terheege during the Aviva Premiership final against Northampton Saints at Twickenham Stadium on May 25.
But, at the end of a four-hour deliberation at the Coventry M6 Holiday Inn Hotel, a three-man RFU disciplinary panel found Cockerill guilty of "using words that were obscene, inappropriate and unprofessional, and behaviour that was inappropriate and unprofessional".
As a result, Cockerill has been suspended from involvement in any match-day coaching activities from September 7 to November 2.
Tigers refused to make any comment on the verdict and will now have to decide whether or not to launch an appeal.
That decision will have to be made 24 hours after the club receives the full written judgement from the RFU.
That judgement is due to be released today.
Leicester will have to debate whether they will risk an even longer or harsher ban for Cockerill in the hope that they can get his suspension reduced.
Because Cockerill was charged with misconduct under RFU Rule 5.12, it means that the punishment handed down to him could be as serious as the panel deem necessary. There are no low, middle or upper-range guidelines with such a charge.
Cockerill's ban was deemed to be nine matches and not nine weeks because the panel ruled that the severity of the ban should reflect the fact that his offence took place in a high-profile Grand Final.
The fact that those nine games are not allowed to be low-profile pre-season matches was a further indication of the severity of the message that the disciplinary panel were keen to hand down.
Should Leicester decide not to appeal the decision, Cockerill will be cast to the stands on game-day for the opening seven Premiership fixtures and the first fortnight of Heineken Cup action.
He will not be allowed any direct or indirect contact with match officials, or any member of the coaching or playing staff before, during or after the game.
That means assistant coaches Paul Burke, Geordan Murphy and Richard Blaze will have complete control of the squad on match-day.
