MUNSTER LOCK JEAN Kleyn has been hit with a two-week ban after being cited for an act of dangerous play in his side’s Pro14 clash with Leinster.

The length of the suspension means that the Ireland international will miss Saturday’s Pro14 game against Treviso but will be available for selection again ahead of Munster’s trip to Edinburgh on 20 February.

The Pro14 told The42 that Munster A’s game against Connacht A on 13 February was accepted as part of the ban by the judicial officer, Simon Thomas of the Welsh Rugby Union, due to “the intention of involving first-team players” in that fixture.

The Pro14 said that “A games and friendly games during international windows aimed at preparing first-team players are judged by unions and disciplinary panels/officers as meaningful matches, for example club/community/semi-pro games, would not be counted as such.”

The Pro14 pointed out that a suspension involving George North in September saw the Ospreys v Scarlets pre-season game counting towards his ban, and said the same applies for Sam Lousi’s ban in October/November where Scarlets A’s game against Dragons (16 October) was accepted as a meaningful game.

Kleyn was cited under the law regarding “dangerous play in a ruck or maul” which states that a player “must not make contact with an opponent above the line of the shoulders.”

The incident took place in the second half of Munster’s defeat to Leinster at Thomond Park.

A statement from the Pro14 reads that “the incident was found to merit a mid-range entry point, which indicates a four-week suspension for this offence.

“The Judicial Officer determined that there were mitigating factors, including the player’s acceptance of the foul play, timely remorse and previous clean disciplinary record, which under the disciplinary rules warranted a reduction in the sanction of two weeks.”

The ruling means that Kleyn is free to play again from Monday 15 February.