The International Rugby Board (IRB) is to review penalties for eye-gouging following the furore over the recent incident involving South Africa’s Schalk Burger.

He was banned for eight weeks after gouging British and Irish Lions winger Luke Fitzgerald in the second Test.

An IRB statements said: (quote) There is no place in rugby for illegal or foul play. Gouging is particularly heinous.(end quote)

The IRB will also review whether to extend the appeals process to include the opposition and the governing body. At present, only the suspended player can appeal against the independent judicial decisions on bans.

The same weekend Burger was suspended, Italy captain Sergio Parisse was also banned for eight weeks for a similar offence in Italy’s defeat by New Zealand.

There have been suspensions in the last two years for gouging, with penalties varying from Burger’s eight weeks to a six month ban for England hooker Dylan Hartley, which ruled him out of the 2007 World Cup. Munster’s Alan Quinlan was also ruled out of contention for the Lions tour after being suspended for 12 weeks for a gouging incident in their Heineken Cup semi-final against Leinster.