Leicester wing Alesana Tuilagi has seen his appeal against a four-week ban dismissed. It means the Samoan international remains suspended until May 22nd, ruling him out of Tigers’ Heineken Cup semi-final clash against Cardiff Blues on Sunday.

He must also sit out the English Premiership play-off appointment with Bath six days later, plus the May 16th Premiership final at Twickenham if Leicester progress that far.

He would, though, be available for the Heineken Cup final should the Tigers beat Cardiff.

Tuilagi was cited and then banned after being found guilty of playing Bath fullback Nick Abendanon without the ball during Leicester’s Heineken quarter-final victory earlier this month.

An independent appeal committee, chaired by Professor Lorne Crerar, found that Tuilagi had not demonstrated the original decision had been in error, or that it should be overturned or varied.