Tevita Kuridrani, Australian outside centre was banned for 5 weeks for his tip-tackle on Peter O’Mahony on the weekend in the match between Ireland and the Wallabies.

Sona Taumalolo of Tonga was banned for 4 weeks and Yoann Maestri’s Red Card was deemed sufficient punishment for their involvement in striking each other in the match between France and Tonga on the weekend, which effectively means Yoann Maestri is free to resume play and to face the Springboks on the weekend.

Tevita Kuridrani:

Australia centre Tevita Kuridrani has received a five-week suspension for a dangerous tackle on Ireland’s Peter O’Mahony in Australia’s 32-15 victory last Saturday in Dublin.

Kuridrani received a straight red card for the tackle in the 72nd minute and appeared at an International Rugby Board disciplinary hearing on Tuesday.

The suspension ruled Kuridrani out of Australia’s final two games on their end of season tour against Scotland and Wales, placing greater pressure on coach Ewen McKenzie’s playing stocks.

McKenzie suspended six players from their game against Scotland and warned a further nine after they breached team protocols in the lead-up to the Ireland test.

IRB disciplinary officer Lorne Crerar determined Kuridrani’s tackle had warranted a suspension at the mid-point of the IRB’s entry range for sanctions of eight weeks.

He added an additional week to reflect the need for a deterrent for the type of tackle though allowed mitigation of four weeks to reflect Kuridrani’s previous good disciplinary record.

The Wallabies team said they would need to see the written decision before deciding whether to appeal.

Sona Taumalolo & Yoann Maestri:

France lock Yoann Maestri escaped suspension while Tonga prop Sona Taumalolo was banned at a disciplinary hearing in London on Tuesday.

The duo attended the hearing after being red carded for allegedly striking each other, contrary to Law 10.4 (a), in France’s 38-18 win in Le Havre at the weekend .

The disciplinary committee chaired by Antony Davies (England), alongside Barry O’Driscoll and Pat Barriscale (both Ireland), having listened to representations from and on behalf of both players and watched the video evidence of the incident in question, suspended Taumalolo for four weeks.

In the case of Maestri, however, the committee held that the red card was a sufficient sanction and imposed no further sanction.

Both players had accepted prior to the hearing that their actions had warranted a red card and the committee deemed that Taumalolo’s offence was in the mid-range of the International Rugby Board’s sanctions (five weeks), allowing one week off for mitigating factors.

Taumalolo is free to resume playing on December 16 and has the right of appeal.