France lock Pascal Pape has received a ten-week ban for kneeing Ireland No 8 Jamie Heaslip in the back during their RBS 6 Nations clash in Dublin.
The ban means that the French lock will miss the rest of this year's Six Nations.
It was revealed earlier this week that Heaslip suffered three cracked vertebrae in the challenge, and will spend four weeks on the sidelines. That rules him out of Ireland's clash with England, but means he could return to face Wales in Cardiff in round four.
Pape was cited for the incident and went before a Six Nations Disciplinary Committee at Heathrow today, where the striking of of Heaslip's back was reprimanded.
The committee deemed that Pape's action was an act of foul play which merited a red card - not the yellow card that was initially handed out by referee Wayne Barnes.
The incident was ranked at the top end of the World Rugby scale of seriousness and initially rated as meriting a 15-week ban. However, due to the player's admission of foul play and remorse, the ban was reduced by five weeks to ten.
The player and the FFR have the right of appeal.
Subject: Pape banned for ten weeks for knee on Jamie Heaslip 
