Scotland coach Ian McGeechan has expressed his disappointment at the outcome of Martin Leslie's appeal hearing, even though the back-row forward had his sentence cut by a third.
Though the three-man disciplinary panel still found Leslie guilty of kneeing Jason Keyter in the head during Scotland's win over the USA on October 22nd, they decided to reduce the record 12-week suspension originally handed down to eight.
Although the outcome could be viewed as a partial success given the clarity of TV replays surrounding the incident and the recommended 16-week punishment for such offences, McGeechan and the rest of the Scotland camp feel Leslie has been singled out for special treatment.
"We are disappointed," said the former Lions coach. "We feel it is out of proportion in comparison with other incidents that have gone on in the tournament. Martin Leslie can feel hard done by."
The verdict will signal the end of Leslie's international career as the 31-year-old was due to retire from Test combat when Scotland's participation in the World Cup was over.
A hugely popular member of the squad, the 31-year-old New Zealand-born star has maintained his innocence over the incident and has received the wholehearted support of the entire Scottish camp.
Before the heavy defeat to France at Telstra Stadium last Saturday, the majority of the Scotland line-up made a point of twitching when the cameras focused on them during the national anthem.
It was seen as a sign of solidarity with their former team-mate, who suffers from a nervous twitch before big games.