Teddy Thomas banned for glamour games against Toulouse, Leinster

La Rochelle’s Teddy Thomas will sit out the rest of this month following a ban that includes him missing this Saturday’s visit from Top 14 leaders Toulouse and the January 12 Investec Champions Cup pool match at home to Leinster.

The Toulouse-bound back was yellow carded in his team’s December 21 Top 14 win over Clermont, but his foul play on Theo Giral resulted in a citing and a disciplinary hearing this week has led to a four-match ban.

Thomas started his team’s round two European pool game against Bristol on the left wing, but his half-dozen starts in the league this term have been at outside centre.

He will now miss the visit of Leinster, the Irish province La Rochelle defeated in the finals of 2022 and 2023 in Marseille and Dublin, and the trip to Benetton, as well as this Saturday’s home league clash with Toulouse and the January 26 trip to Toulon.

A statement read: “Teddy Thomas was found responsible for dangerous play and more particularly for charging or bringing down an opponent carrying the ball without attempting to grab that player. A suspension of six weeks was the entry point.

“After taking into account the aggravating circumstance (disciplinary record), the sanction was increased by one week. After taking into account mitigating circumstances (recognition of the facts, conduct before and during the hearing, expression of remorse), the sanction was reduced by three weeks.

“Consequently, Thomas is suspended for four weeks. As of January 2, and taking into account the schedule of Stade Rochelais matches, Thomas will be free to play from January 27.”