BYRON RALSTON OF Connacht has been hit with a three-match suspension for a “reckless” side-entry that led to the injury of Munster’s Jack O’Donoghue. 

Ralston was initially shown a yellow card for the incident, which ended O’Donoghue’s involvement in what proved to be a 22-9 victory for Connacht in the URC on New Year’s Day.  

O’Donoghue is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines with the consequent knee injury, for which he has sought surgical opinion. Munster coach Graham Rowntree vented his ire about the incident immediately after the match, calling it a “horrible side entry” by Ralston. 

Ralston was subsequently cited for potential dangerous play in a ruck or maul. A three-man panel of Roddy Dunlop KC (Chair), Roddy MacLeod and John Kirk today found that Ralston had entered the contest in a manner that was reckless, with no realistic prospect of levering the jackler in a legal fashion and where he ought to have known that there was a likelihood of foul play and resulting injury.

They found the incident met the threshold for a red card which warranted a mid-range suspension of six weeks. It did not meet the high-range bracket as it was not deemed intentional. This proposed ban was then halved by the panel as it took into account Ralston’s good record, apology and “exemplary” conduct in the hearing. 

Ralston will be unavailable for Connacht’s upcoming Champions Cup games waway to Lyon (13 January) and at home to Bristol (19 January), along with the URC clash away to Cardiff on 17 February.