British and Irish Lions

The RFU have stuck to their guns and dismissed the appeal by England and London Irish full back Delon Armitage against his eight week suspension for conduct prejudicial to the interests of the Game.

Armitage was found guilty on 21 January of pushing and using threatening and/or abusive and obscene language towards a Doping Control Officer from UK Anti-Doping during a routine test immediately after the Aviva Premiership game against Bath Rugby at the Madejski Stadium on January 1, 2011.

The three man appeal panel of rejected Armitage's appeal and upheld the original suspension until 16 March 16.

"We came to the conclusion that having regard to the seriousness of this matter and considering the aggravating and mitigating features that the decision and sanction reached by the original panel was fair, reasonable and one which they were entitled to," said Appeal committee chairman Ian Unsworth QC,.

"The Rugby Football Union attaches the highest importance to the fight against doping in sport and thus considers the work of UKAD to be important to the reputation of rugby and sport as a whole.

"The work of the Doping Control Officers is of crucial importance in this field and players should be aware of their obligations to comply with the reasonable requirements of those officers.

"Mr Armitage was aggressive, bullying, persistent and threatening. He subjected the Doping Control Officer to a volley of abuse and he deserved better than that."

Three former British & Irish Lions will line-up against an England XV at Twickenham Stadium on Sunday as the Barbarians warm-up for their showdown with the 2013 tourists in Hong Kong next week.

Radike Samo, one of only two players still playing top level rugby in Australia who placed against the 2001 British & Irish Lions, will return to top flight action with Queensland Reds against the Stormers in Cape Town on Sunday.