VETERAN CARDIFF CENTRE Rey Lee-Lo has been handed a four-match ban for his red-card challenge on Connacht’s Shayne Bolton during Saturday’s URC fixture in the Welsh capital.
Connacht’s eventual 16-12 victory at Cardiff Arms Park was aided somewhat by Lee-Lo’s sending off just before the quarter-hour mark.
Andrea Piardi determined that the 38-year-old could and should have been lower in his body position as he made direct head contact with Connacht wing Bolton. Piardi and his officials quickly agreed that Lee-Lo’s challenge involved a high degree of danger and lacked any mitigating factors.
Bolton, meanwhile, left the field for treatment and was replaced by Tom Farrell.
Cardiff will play over an hour with 14 men after a red card for Rey Lee-Lo's head-to-head challenge on Shayne Bolton
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During the resultant disciplinary process this week, Lee-Lo accepted to judicial officer Achille Reali that his challenge had warranted a red card.
A mid-range entry of six weeks was increased to seven due to Lee-Lo’s previous sanctions for dangerous tackles (one for Samoa against Russia during the 2019 World Cup, and another for Cardiff in a Welsh derby with Dragons during the 2021/22 URC campaign).
A seven-game ban was reduced to four, however, on account of Lee-Lo’s “acceptance of guilt, immediate remorse and apology”.
Lee-Lo will be ruled out for Leinster’s visit to Cardiff on 2 March as well as Cardiff’s trip in the opposite direction to face Munster on 30 March.
