French hooker Peato Mauvaka has been banned for three weeks for his headbutt on Scotland scrum-half Ben White in last weekend’s Six Nations clash in Paris.
Mauvaka, 28, launched himself head-first at White during an altercation on the floor in the first half of France’s 35-16 victory – which also won them the Six Nations title.
Referee Matthew Carley gave Mauvaka a yellow card and referred the incident to the off-field review bunker.
However, after review officer Ian Tempest assessed the situation, the decision was made not to upgrade Mauvaka’s card to a red one.
But the Toulouse hooker has since been cited in relation to the incident.
His entry-level sanction of a six-game ban was then reduced to three after Mauvaka’s guilty plea to foul play and his previously clean disciplinary record.
The three-person citing panel found the player guilty of breaching Law 9.12, which states a player must not strike an opponent with any part of the arm, shoulder, head or knee.
Peato Mauvaka Banned, But Many Question Officials
Following the match, Scotland boss Gregor Townsend questioned why Mauvaka’s card was not upgraded to a red upon review.
The match officials deemed the incident not to have used great force, but Townsend argued that the level of force was irrelevant as the headbutt was an off-the-ball act of foul play, not an attempted tackle.
And Townsend wasn’t the only one suggesting the on-field officials got it badly wrong.
Former England fly-half Andy Goode voiced his disbelief at the decision.
He said via X: “So a flying head into the face of a player lying prone on the floor is just a yellow card?! Mauvaka should have seen a full red card for that, not even a 20-minute one.
“The bunker system has had a shocker.”
Mauvaka’s threegame suspension will see him now miss Toulouse’s Top 14 fixtures against Bordeaux and Pau, as well as their Champions Cup last-16 match against Sale Sharks.
