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McFadden will sit out the next three games. Morgan Treacy/INPHO
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Leinster's Fergus McFadden handed three-week ban for stamp on Nathan White

The Ireland international accepted he committed an act of foul play.

FERGUS MCFADDEN HAS been suspended for three weeks after pleading guilty to stamping on Connacht’s Nathan White during the recent Guinness Pro12 game at the RDS.

The incident occurred in the eight minute of Leinster’s 13-0 win with video footage showing McFadden making contact with the head of White during a ruck.

At a disciplinary hearing in Edinburgh this afternoon, the Ireland international accepted that he committed an act of foul play and was handed a three week ban by the Disciplinary Committee.

The Leinster winger will miss the province’s clash with Ospreys this Friday and the Champions Cup ties against Bath and Wasps.

“Fergus McFadden, the Leinster wing, appeared today in Edinburgh before an independent PRO12 Rugby Disciplinary Committee, having been cited by an independent citing commissioner for stamping or trampling on an opponent in contravention of Law 10.4 (b) in the Guinness PRO12 match between Leinster and Connacht at the RDS Arena, Dublin on New Year’s Day,” a statement read.

“Mr McFadden accepted that he had committed an act of foul play and that it would have warranted a red card. Accordingly, the Disciplinary Committee, chaired by Pamela Woodman, alongside Roddy Dunlop and John Kirk (all from Scotland), considered what would be the appropriate sanction.

“Having viewed video footage of the incident, listened to evidence and representations from and on behalf of the player, and reviewed all of the other evidence, the Disciplinary Committee found that Mr McFadden had acted recklessly and that the offending merited a mid-range entry point based on World Rugby’s scale of seriousness, which carries a five-week playing suspension.”

The 29-year-old had his suspension reduced by two weeks because of a number of mitigating factors, including McFadden’s clean disciplinary record.

He will be therefore suspended from playing for rugby up to and including Sunday 24 January, although the player and Leinster have the right to appeal.

The ban is a setback for McFadden’s Six Nations hopes as he will miss out on the opportunity to push his case for inclusion in Joe Schmidt’s squad.

Meanwhile, Leinster have confirmed prop Cian Healy will be out of action for three to four weeks after undergoing surgery on his right knee yesterday.

Luke McGrath and Johnny Sexton should both be available for the trip to Wales this Friday.

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