Stade Francais pair banned but Toulon back-rower is hit hardest

Separate independent disciplinary committees have returned verdicts on the three red cards picked up by French club players in last weekend’s Investec Champions Cup. Stade Francais locks Pierre-Henri Azagoh and Baptiste Pesenti have been respectively banned for three and two games following their sendings off against Munster.

However, Toulon back-rower Yannick Youyoutte has been suspended for five matches following his altercation with Stormers’ Manie Libbok. Youyoutte was red-carded by referee Karl Dickson in the 71st-minute of last Saturday’s round one game in Port Elizabeth for a dangerous tackle.

A committee consisting of Jennifer Donovan (Ireland, chair), Christian Scotland-Williamson (England) and Valeriu Toma (Romania) heard Youyoutte accept that he had committed an offence that warranted a red card and a 10-week entry point was deemed appropriate.

Due to no aggravating factors and the mitigation submitted on the player’s behalf, a five-week discount was applied leaving him free to play again from Monday, January 13. However, if he participates in the World Rugby coaching intervention programme, he will be available from Monday, January 6.

Stade Francais’ Azagoh has similarly been invited to attend tackle school to shave off the last week of his three-week ban following his 49th-minute red card brandished by referee Luke Pearce after his dangerous tackle on Munster’s Peter O’Mahony.

Six weeks was the initial sanction entry point decided by a committee of Ben Rutherford (Ireland, chair), Leon Lloyd (England) and Stefan Terblanche (South Africa) and the punishment was reduced to three when a 50 per cent discount was applied, freeing Azagoh to play from Monday, December 30. That return will be cut to December 23 if he completes tackle school.

Meanwhile, a committee of Roddy MacLeod (Scotland, chair), Ken Owens (Wales) and Gordon Black (Ireland) banned Stade’s Pesenti for two weeks for his red-carded clash with Craig Casey in the 53rd-minute in Limerick.

A two-week entry point was decided and the committee felt there shouldn’t be any discount due to the player’s prior disciplinary record, leaving Pesenti available from Monday, December 23.