Cian Healy to miss festive fixtures after three-week ban

Leinster prop Cian Healy will miss the province's hat-trick of interprovincial Pro 14 fixtures over the festive season after picking up a three-week suspension following a disciplinary hearing in London on Wednesday.

The 30-year-old received a yellow card from French referee Pascal Gauzere after connecting with the head of Exeter hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie at a ruck during last Saturday's Champions Cup game at the Aviva Stadium.

Citing commissioner Patrice Frantschi, also from France, brought a charge under Law 10.4 (h), alleging that Healy charged into a ruck and struck Cowan-Dickie's head with his forearm.

At Wednesday’s hearing in London, Healy pleaded guilty to the charge via video conference.

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The committee upheld the citing complaint, determining that Healy’s act of foul play warranted a red card. It found that the offence was at the low end of World Rugby’s sanctions and two weeks was selected as the appropriate entry point.

The committee then added one week due to the player’s recent poor disciplinary record, and despite Healy’s guilty plea, it was decided that there were insufficient mitigating factors present to warrant any reduction of the sanction.

Healy will now miss an intense period of Pro 14 action, starting with the trip to Thomond Park to play Munster on St Stephen’s Day.

He will also miss Leinster’s home games against Connacht on New Year’s Day and Ulster on Saturday, January 6th and is free to play again from January 8th.