Pirates coach Paver banned after slapping player

Alan Paver will not be able to coach Pirates on a match day until the Champ play-off semi-finals, should the club reach them [Getty Images] Cornish Pirates joint-head coach Alan Paver has been banned for six matches after admitting slapping an opposition player. The coach, who has been in joint-charge of the club alongside Gavin Cattle for almost a decade, was sent off in the final 10 minutes of Saturday's Champ game between Pirates and Worcester Warriors after a melee. It was claimed that the incident began when Worcester's Will Reed tried to prevent a Pirates player getting the ball back to take a penalty, which led to a confrontation.

Paver entered the field during that confrontation, and when Worcester's Jake Garside also came in to intervene he slapped him. The incident happened after a melee between players and coaches from both sides as Worcester went on to win the game 29-7 at the Mennaye Field in Penzance. Paver was charged with conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game, with the incident's level of seriousness deemed to be at the high end of the offence.

The disciplinary panel initially gave Paver a 12-game ban, but cut the punishment by 50% due to his admission of the charges and his good previous disciplinary record. It means he will miss the club's remaining regular-season matches, as well as the first round of the play-offs should the club finish in the top six - if they fail to reach the play-offs he will be banned for Pirates' first pre-season game. Under the terms of his ban he is not able to be with the side for an hour before the start of any match.

"I have been coaching for over 14 years and have maintained a completely clean disciplinary record throughout that time," Paver said in a statement to the disciplinary panel. "I fully recognise that my actions do not align with the values of the game or the standards expected of me as a coach. " Related internet links Cornish Pirates