Leinster's Michael Ala’alatoa will miss the first couple of Samoa's World Cup warm-ups after he was suspended for three weeks for his costly red card offence in Saturday's Champions Cup final.
However the prop will be free to play against Ireland in Andy Farrell's side's final warm-up against Samoa in Bayonne on August 26.
Ala’alatoa was sent off by referee Jaco Peyper in the 78th minute at the Aviva Stadium for charging into a ruck in a dangerous manner and for making contact with the head area of La Rochelle's replacement prop, Georges-Henri Colombe, in contravention of Law 9.20(a).
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The offence effectively ended Leinster's hopes of victory as it gifted La Rochelle a penalty close to their own try line, after Ronan O'Gara's side had taken the lead for the first time in the contest five minutes earlier.
It also left Leinster down to 13 men as Rónan Kelleher was in the sin bin for the remainder of the one-point defeat to the reigning champions.
A three-man independent disciplinary committee studied video imagery of the incident and heard evidence from Ala’alatoa, who accepted the red card decision.
The committee also heard submissions from the player’s legal representative, Derek Hegarty, from Leinster Rugby’s Head of Rugby Operations, Guy Easterby, as well as from the EPCR Disciplinary Officer, Liam McTiernan.
The committee upheld the red card decision, finding that Ala’alatoa had charged into the ruck and had also made contact with Colombe's head in a dangerous manner.
It then determined that the offending was at the mid-range of World Rugby’s sanctions and six weeks was selected as the appropriate entry point.
As the player has a clear disciplinary record and due to his acceptance of the red card, it was decided to grant him the full 50% mitigation and the committee therefore reduced the sanction by three weeks before imposing a three-week suspension.
Ala’alatoa is suspended for Samoa’s fixtures against Japan on 22 July, against Fiji on 29 July and against Tonga on 5 August. However is expected to apply for and successfully complete a World Rugby Coaching Intervention and so should be free to play on Monday 31 July.
Both Ala’alatoa and EPCR have the right to appeal the decision.
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