Italy hooker Hame Faiva has received a four-week ban for his red card in last Sunday's Six Nations defeat by Ireland in Dublin.
Faiva, who came on for the injured Gianmarco Lucchesi, was sent off in the 19th minute of Italy's 57-6 loss for a high tackle on Irish hooker Dan Sheehan.
The sending off meant that the visitors had to play the remainder of the game with 13 players under a law meant to penalise a team that has a player sent off and cannot contest scrums. Indeed, Italy played 10 minutes of the game with 12 men after a yellow card in the second half for replacement backrow Braam Steyn.
“The player had acted recklessly by committing a high and dangerous tackle whereby his shoulder had made direct contact with the neck of an opponent with significant force,” the Six Nations disciplinary committee said in a statement.
“On that basis, the committee applied World Rugby’s mandatory minimum mid-range entry point for foul play resulting in contact with the head.”
Faiva, who has the right to appeal the decision, will miss Italy’s remaining Six Nations matches against Scotland and Wales.
