Last night the ruling in the Calum Clark hearing made, with the Northampton Saints loose forward being suspended from the game for 32 weeks. He will only play again in November.

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The 22 year old flanker was cited for his seemingly unprovoked attack on Leicester Tigers’ Rob Hawkins, which left the hooker with a broken arm after his elbow was hyperextended.

Hawkins had surgery earlier this week and will be out of rugby for the rest of the season. At one stage it appeared as though he might have been out of a contract as he was playing for a renewal, but Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill has stepped out and said that they’ll take care of him.

Clark pleaded guilty to hyperextending Hawkins’ right arm, and to committing ‘an act contrary to good sportsmanship’. As expected, he received a fairly heavy ban, although it appears that in many circles the opinion is that a heftier punishment wouldn’t have gone amiss.

He will be out of rugby until 1 November though, and will also have to pay hearing costs of £500. He has the right to appeal and Northampton Saints are backing their player, reportedly saying they are disappointed with the severity of the ruling.

“The disciplinary panel found that Calum Clark had not intended to injure Rob Hawkins in the course of moving his arm. Accordingly, the unfortunate injury suffered by Rob Hawkins was unintentional.

“In the light of that finding of the disciplinary panel, Northampton Saints is bound to express concern and disappointment at the imposition of such a long suspension, even after significant mitigation in recognition in what was accepted to be Calum Clark’s genuine remorse,” they said.

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Northampton say they are “bound to consider the merits of an appeal” after their back-row forward Calum Clark was banned for 32 weeks.

The rugby career of England hopeful Clark is on hold after he was made to pay a hefty price for foul play during a showpiece cup final.

The England elite squad member cannot play again until 2 November following a Rugby Football Union hearing on Thursday night.

Clark, 22, was cited after an incident during Northampton’s LV Cup final defeat against Leicester 12 days ago, and then suspended indefinitely by his club.

Clark, who captained Saints in the final, was reported for an act contrary to good sportsmanship, allegedly hyperextending Leicester hooker Rob Hawkins’ right arm. It left Hawkins with a broken elbow and requiring surgery, sidelining him for the rest of this season.

Clark’s suspension of more than seven months is among the longest handed out to a senior English player during rugby union’s 16-and-a-half-year professional era.

In a statement, Saints said: “The disciplinary panel found that Calum Clark had not intended to injure Rob Hawkins in the course of moving his arm. Accordingly, the unfortunate injury suffered by Rob Hawkins was unintentional.

“In the light of that finding of the disciplinary panel, Northampton Saints is bound to express concern and disappointment at the imposition of such a long suspension, even after significant mitigation in recognition in what was accepted to be Calum Clark’s genuine remorse.

“Accordingly, the club is bound to consider the merits of an appeal. No further comment will be made at this time.”

Television footage of the incident at Sixways, though, could have left few people in any doubt about its severity. Pictures showed the former Bath forward Hawkins reeling away in agony from a 21st-minute ruck. It was an incident that enraged the Leicester rugby director Richard Cockerill.

In a statement the RFU said: “Calum Clark of Northampton Saints was suspended for 32 weeks for an act contrary to good sportsmanship – Law 10(4) (M).

“Clark pleaded guilty to hyperextending the right arm of Leicester Tigers’ Rob Hawkins during the LV Cup final at Sixways on 18 March.

“The suspension will run from 22 March to 1 November. He is free to play again on 2 November 2012. Clark is ordered to pay hearing costs of £500.”

The full judgement of Clark’s hearing is expected to be made available later on Thursday.