Gloucester Rugby sanctioned for fielding ineligible player

Gloucester Rugby have been fined £5,000 and handed a suspended two-point deduction for fielding an ineligible player.

Argentine lock Mariano Galarza was not properly registered when he played against Sale Sharks on March 29.

Following an investigation, an independent panel concluded that the incident was an "administrative error".

The points deduction will only be enforced if Gloucester breach "relevant regulations" again by the end of the 2016-17 campaign.

Galarza joined Gloucester from Worcester Warriors in summer 2014.