Saracens accept Chris Ashton's 13-week ban for biting
English Premiership rugby club Saracens said on Friday that it would not lodge an appeal against the 13-week ban given to their winger Chris Ashton for dangerous play.
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Ashton, 29, was suspended until 19 December for biting Northampton's Alex Waller during a Premiership match last weekend.
A three-member disciplinary panel found on Tuesday that Ashton bit Waller on the arm in the 24th minute of Saracens' 27-12 win but cleared him of a charge that he bit him again one minute later.
Mark McCall, the club's director of rugby, said: "The club has been fully supportive of Chris throughout this process and we are naturally disappointed to lose a player of his calibre for 13 weeks.
"We put forward what we thought was a strong case for both charges to be dismissed but the decision to suspend Chris is one that we accept. No appeal will be lodged.
"We will continue to support Chris during his enforced time away from playing and help prepare him for his return to action in December."
Ashton received a 10-week ban last season for making contact with the eye area of Ulster back Luke Marshall in a European Champions Cup game. That punishment ruled him out of contention for the Six Nations championship.
The latest suspension will jeopardise his chances of a return to the England fold. During his time away from competition, the national team will play South Africa, Fiji, Argentina and Australia in November and early December.
Ashton has 39 caps for his country but has not featured since the Test against New Zealand in 2014.
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