Mohamed Haouas has been suspended for three weeks

French prop Mohamed Haouas has been suspended for three weeks for punching James Ritchie in his team's defeat to Scotland last Saturday.

The Six Nations released a statement on Wednesday afternoon explaining that "given his playing schedule," Haouas is free to resume playing on Tuesday April 14th. He can appeal the decision.

A previously unbeaten France team were reduced to 14 men in the 37th minute by the sending off of their 25-year-old Montpellier tight-head playing in his fourth test.

Haouas appeared before an independent disciplinary committee in London and accepted that he had committed an act of foul play that warranted a red card.

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The committee agreed the act of foul play warranted a mid-range entry point (six weeks’ suspension), but that was reduced by three weeks due to mitigating factors, including good conduct, guilty plea and relative inexperience at international level.