JOHN AFOA COULD be suspended for Ulster’s Heineken Cup semi-final if he is found guilty of an alleged “tip tackle” on Munster’s Felix Jones.
Afoa was cited this afternoon and will learn his fate when he appears at a disciplinary hearing in Dublin on Thursday.
The incident, which occurred early in the second half of Sunday’s quarter-final in Thomond Park, went unpunished by match referee Romain Poite who allowed play to continue after Afoa lifted Jones from the ground in a tackle.
After reviewing the evidence, citing commissioner Peter Larter of England filed a complaint against the New Zealander for dangerous play.
Law 10.4 (j) of the IRB rules prohibits “lifting a player from the ground and either dropping or driving that player’s head and/or upper body into the ground whilst the player’s feet are off the ground.”
If found guilty, Afoa faces sanctions which begin at three weeks for a “low end” offence, rising to six weeks for a mid-range punishment and 10+ weeks at the higher end.
Although suspensions can be reduced in light of a player’s previous disciplinary record or mitigating circumstances, any ban is likely to rule the front-row out of the semi-final against Edinburgh in the Aviva Stadium on 28 April.
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