France prop gets three-week ban for punch

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France prop Mohamed Haouas has been suspended for three weeks after being sent off during last weekend’s Six Nations defeat by Scotland.

The 26-year-old received his matching orders from referee Paul Williams after striking Scotland flank Jamie Richie four minutes before half time, after a scuffle had ensued between the teams.

The red card cost France a potential Grand Slam with Scotland eventually claiming a 28-17 victory at Murrayfield.

According to a Six Nations statement, Haouas had appeared before an independent disciplinary committee and pleaded guilty to the charge of committing an act of foul play that warranted a red card.

‘The Disciplinary Committee found that the act of foul play warranted a mid-range entry point [six weeks’ suspension] and reduced that by three weeks to take account of mitigating factors [including good conduct, guilty plea and relative inexperience at international level],’ read the statement.

Haouas, who made his Test debut in France’s Six Nations victory over England last month, is free to resume playing on Tuesday, 14 April.

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Earlier this week, former France hooker and current team manager Raphael Ibanez claimed that Haouas had been eye-gouged prior to the red card incident, but whether the claim was taken into account regarding the length of the suspension was unclear from the competition’s organisers.

France were meant to host Ireland in the final round of the competition this coming weekend but the fixture has since been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, with a new date yet to be confirmed.

Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images

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