Pascal Papé has been suspended for 10 weeks for kneeing Ireland’s Jamie Heaslip in the back and will miss the rest of France’s Six Nations campaign.
Papé, who has a right of appeal, appeared in front of a disciplinary panel together with the France coach, Philippe Saint-André on Wednesday.
The match referee, Wayne Barnes, issued the lock with a yellow card during Saturday’s game but the disciplinary committee decided it was an act of foul play which merited a red card and “should be categorised at the top end of World Rugby’s scale of seriousness”. Papé could have been banned for up to 15 weeks.
His punishment was reduced given what the committee referred to as “the player’s admission of foul play and his expression of remorse for what had occurred”.
He issued an apology on Tuesday via social media to Heaslip, who damaged three vertebrae in the incident and will miss Ireland’s next game against England.
Heaslip accepted Papé’s apology, tweeting: “pascalpape thanks for your message. It’s a physical game that we play and these things happen. I fully accept your apology.”
Pape’s suspension represents a blow for France, who lost 18-11 in Dublin and are now third in the table after two matches played.