FORMER Harrogate and York Railway Institute coach Peter Clegg has been hit by an eight-week ban from all rugby for verbally abusing a match official.

Clegg, who now coaches at National One outfit Otley, was found guilty by the Rugby Football Union disciplinary committee - Richard Moon (chairman), Dr Matthew Lohn, Paul Murphy and Robin Wannop - of verbally abusing touch judge David Kurk in his side's clash against London Welsh on March 29.

The ban means Clegg, a product of the York RI youth system and who followed in his late father's footsteps to coach at New Lane, is suspended from all involvement in rugby, barring administration, from August 30 to October 10.

Clegg and his Otley employers were also ordered to pay £125 costs and £75 towards the expenses of the match officials who attended the disciplinary hearing at the Coventry M6 Holiday Inn Hotel.

Clegg, who led Harrogate to back-to-back Yorkshire Cup triumphs in the 1990s before being controversially replaced by former British Lions hooker Jeff Young, is expected to temporarily hand over the coaching reigns to his assistant Paul Gray in his absence.

Also banned for the same offence was Fergus Timmons, the coach of Bramley Phoenix.

Timmons was handed a 12-week ban and ordered to pay £125 costs and £75 expenses after he admitted verbally abusing referee Gary Kent during the Yorkshire Three game Bradford Salem on April 5. It was his second offence of referee abuse in 13 months.

Updated: 11:36 Monday, June 16, 2003