NEWPORT prop Adrian Garvey, pictured, has been banned for six games by the Welsh Rugby Union disciplinary committee -- a decision which has left coach Ian McIntosh furious.

Garvey had the ban slapped on him at last night's meeting of the disciplinary committee, who found him guilty of stamping on Leinster outside half Nathan Spooner in their recent Celtic League quarter-final at Donnybrook.

Leinster cited Garvey after Spooner had to be helped off the field suffering from head injuries in a ruck.

"To me this is unbelievable, especially after the two cases we named got thrown out," stormed McIntosh.

"I am very upset and disappointed and Adrian is totally disillusioned. There was no intent and I don't believe it was anything other than an accident.

"The whole thing was blown up out of all proportion by Leinster. If anything it was a rake not a stamp and I don't believe any damage was done, the player played the following week.

"I saw incidents at the weekend involving Leinster and London Irish matches where stamping was going on.

"I wonder if it would have been the same punishment in another country, we shoot ourselves in the foot here.

"Adrian's yellow card at Llanelli was also ridiculous because he was trying to prevent players from being hit.

"Discipline is there to try to protect players as well as punish them."

Garvey will miss Saturday's match at Caerphilly, the two Christmas games against Ebbw Vale and Pontypridd, as well as the Heineken Cup fixtures against Toulouse and Newcastle plus the Llanelli return.

It means a heavy load will be put on Chris Anthony, himself recovering from a wrist injury.

Another alternative is to switch Rod Snow to tight head where he has played before.

Newport have delayed selection of the side to face Caerphilly to give injured players a chance to recover.

Into that category come Anthony, outside half Shane Howarth and openside flanker Jason Forster.

Scrum half Ofisa Tonu'u is due back in this country on Friday after the death of his mother at home in New Zealand. He will probably be a replacement at Caerphilly.

* Former Newport full back Matt Cardey, now with Llanelli, could be out for the rest of the season after suffering breaking a leg and damaging an ankle in training this week.