Berthoumieu’s ban cut to nine games and Feleu also out of Women’s Rugby World Cup

Axelle Berthoumieu apologised for biting Aoife Wafer. ‘It’s not the image I want to give, nor the player I want to be,’ said the France player. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho/Shutterstock

Axelle Berthoumieu’s ban for biting Ireland’s Aoife Wafer has been reduced to nine matches but Manaé Feleu’s citing was upheld by a disciplinary committee meaning both will miss the rest of the Rugby World Cup. France play England in the semi-finals on Saturday.

The pair were cited on Sunday after their 18-13 quarter-final win against Ireland. Berthoumieu was cited for biting Wafer and, while the flanker accepted the foul play, she was appealing against the length of the initial 12-match ban a disciplinary committee proposed on Monday. That had already been reduced from the starting point of 18 matches but was taken down to nine because of her clean previous disciplinary record, remorse and public apology.