 The incident involving the former All Black was seen on TV |
The Llanelli Scarlets have confirmed a life ban on the man who confronted Jonah Lomu from the touchline. Scarlets' chief executive Stuart Gallacher said the man would not be welcome after his "irresponsible and unacceptably aggressive behaviour". Simon Coddington was captured on TV verbally abusing the Cardiff Blues and ex-All Blacks star on January 2. Mr Coddington threw the ball away from Lomu when it went out of play and then shouted abuse at him. Mr Gallacher met him face-to-face on Wednesday to hand out the life ban which starts immediately. "The club will simply not tolerate this sort of loutish behaviour," Mr Gallacher said after a hearing on Wednesday. "As well as insulting a great player, his behaviour was offensive to both clubs and the game of rugby." The rugby club had written to to Lomu, who chose to make light of the incident, after the game. But Mr Gallacher warned then that the fan - who at that point had not been identified - would face a life-time ban. It emerged earlier this week that Mr Coddington, who only moved to live near the Scarlets ground recently, was banned for six years from the Nottingham Forest football ground in 2003. Heartened A spokesman for Nottingham Forest FC confirmed Mr Coddington has been banned from all football league grounds in the Nottinghamshire police force area until 12 May 2009. The spokesman said the order had been made under a local scheme known as PACT (Police and Clubs Together Against Violence). Mr Gallacher said that Mr Coddington had been "very mild and meek" during their meeting and also apologised. "He understands that he was out of line. He doesn't realise why he did it. However, that does not condone what he did," said Mr Gallacher. "It's not acceptable. It's not what rugby is about. "I think all of us that have played and watched the game, particularly our young supporters, don't need that kind of example." The chief executive said he though the punishment fitted the crime and the club would have "zero tolerance" of that kind of behaviour in future. Overwhelming response "It harms the reputation of a club that has fans throughout the world for our sportsmanship and friendship." Mr Gallacher said he had been heartened by the overwhelming response to the incident from the club's fans. "I have received hundreds of messages of support from fans asking for us to take the harshest possible action against this man who, the supporters felt, had let them all down," he added. He said the club also received scores of calls and messages identifying Mr Coddington after appeals for help in the media.
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I have received hundreds of messages of support from fans asking for us to take the harshest possible action against this man 
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