Leinster will be without Max Deegan for their Champions Cup semi-final against Toulon after the backrower received a two-match suspension following the red card he received during the United Rugby Championship fixture against Ulster last week.
Leinster jumped above Ulster in the URC table with the 29-21 win in Belfast last Friday but lost Deegan in the 60th minute after he made contact with Werner Kok in the air.
Referee Andrew Brace showed Deegan a yellow card for the incident, which was subsequently upgraded to red following an off-field review.
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The URC confirmed on Wednesday that following its disciplinary process the 29-year-old had been handed a two-game suspension.
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The judicial officer, Italy’s Achille Reali, found the incident met the red card threshold, placing it at the low end of the scale, warranting a four-week suspension.
However, it was noted that Deegan “accepted he had committed an act of foul play” and offered an apology, and in light of his clean record and good conduct throughout the disciplinary process received 50 per cent mitigation, reducing his suspension to two games.
The reduced ban will see Deegan miss Leinster’s away game to Benetton in the URC on Saturday (kick-off 7.45pm Irish time) and the Champions Cup semi-final against Toulon at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, May 2nd (kick-off 3pm).
