Leinster prop Michael Ala’alatoa has received a three-week ban after he was red carded following an incident during the province’s Champions Cup final loss to La Rochelle.
Ala’alatoa had come into the game as a replacement before he received a straight red card in the 78th minute for a dangerous tackle on La Rochelle’s Georges Henri Colombe.
The Samoan international appeared before an independent disciplinary hearing on Tuesday. Match day referee Jaco Pepyer’s red card decision was upheld by the committee, and also found that Ala’alatoa had tackled Colombe in contravention of Law 9.20(a).
Because of his acceptance of the red card and a clean disciplinary record, the prop benefited from a 50 per cent reduction in the possible penalty for dangerous play.
The Counter Ruck: the rugby newsletter from The Irish Times
Connacht’s Santiago Cordero hopes things go Argentina’s way against Ireland
Cian Healy set to equal Brian O’Driscoll’s 133 cap record
Gordon D’Arcy: Ireland doesn’t have a huge rugby-playing population and there are weaknesses with the system
Ala’alatoa will now miss his nation’s upcoming fixtures against Japan, Fiji and Tonga.
