Jack O’Donoghue banned for three weeks after red card vs Northampton

Munster backrow set to miss Champions Cup trip to Toulouse alongside URC clash with Benetton

Munster's Jack O'Donoghue is shown a red card during the Heineken Champions Cup match against Northampton Saints. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA
Munster's Jack O'Donoghue is shown a red card during the Heineken Champions Cup match against Northampton Saints. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA

Jack O’Donghue has been banned for three weeks after seeing red during Munster’s Champions Cup win over Northampton last weekend.

The backrow forward will miss the upcoming trip to Toulouse as a result, alongside Munster’s away game with Benetton the week after. If O’Donoghue elects to go to the infamous tackle school, he will be eligible to return when Munster play the Ospreys on February 17th.

In the 22nd minute of the clash at Thomond Park, O’Donoghue made contact in a tackle with the head of Saints lock Dave Ribbans. After reviewing the incident with his TMO, referee Tual Trainini gave the Munster backrow his marching orders.

At his hearing on Thursday, O’Donoghue was found to have breached World Rugby’s Law 9.13 which states that a player must not tackle an opponent dangerously.

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The committee decided that O’Donoghue’s act warranted a mid range entry point suspension of six weeks. It was subsequently halved due to the player’s clear disciplinary record.

Both O’Donoghue and EPCR have the right to appeal