Bully boy Mason's self-defence plea fails

Australian bully-boy Willie Mason has been banned for one Gillette Tri-Nations match after a judiciary panel rejected his claim that he was acting in self defence when he felled Stuart Fielden with a right hook that broke the Great Britain prop's nose.

The 6ft 5in, 18 stone Mason said he traded insults with Fielden before attacking him in the third minute of Saturday's explosive contest in Sydney, which resulted in a shock 23-12 win for Britain.

Mason, who was also fined £2,000, accused Fielden of provoking him by saying: "Come on, you f****** Aussie". The Australian said he replied: "F*** you, you Pommie b******", and Fielden responded: "Let's go."

Mason then claimed: "Fielden had his right arm cocked so I hit him before he hit me." But the panel ruled that Mason's reaction was disproportionate to any verbal provocation.

Mason, who is considering an appeal, will miss Australia's second game against the Lions in Brisbane on Saturday week but will be available for the Final in Sydney on November 25, in which Britain could clash with the Kangaroos again.

Fielden could miss the qualifying game with New Zealand in Wellington on Saturday.

Although the Lions said he would be fit, they told the hearing that he was concussed in the attack, which would normally rule him out for two weeks.

After training yesterday, Fielden said: "I got caught sweet but what's done is done."