Melbourne Rebels lock Adam Byrnes has been suspended for 10 weeks after being found guilty following an eye-gouging complaint in Friday night’s Super Rugby match against the NSW Waratahs.

SANZAR judicial officer Paul Tully handed down the lengthy ban on the Russian international for making contact with the eye after a four-and-a-half-hour hearing on Sunday afternoon.

Byrnes had been cited after Waratahs captain Daniel Halangahu made a first-half complaint that teammate Tom Carter had allegedly been eye gouged at AAMI Park.

Medical evidence was presented to the hearing that showed Carter, who scored two tries in NSW’s 35-19 win, sustained a minor scratch to the eye but was otherwise uninjured.

Mr Tully said there was enough evidence to support Carter’s allegation contact had been made with the right eye and bridge of the nose in the course of a ruck.

The entry point of such an offence is 12 weeks but credit was given to Byrnes for his otherwise unblemished record.

He won’t be available to return for the Rebels until week 13 against the Western Force in Perth on May 20.