France hooker Mauvaka banned 3 games for head-first strike in Six Nations
France’s team line-up for the anthem before the Six Nations rugby union match between France and Scotland at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
DUBLIN (AP) — France hooker Peato Mauvaka was banned for three games on Thursday for his controversial head-first strike against Scotland in the Six Nations last weekend.
Mauvaka was yellow-carded for launching himself at scrumhalf Ben White while both were lying on the ground. The incident was deliberate and after the whistle. Referee Matthew Carley issued a yellow card and sent it to a bunker review. The bunker upheld the yellow and didn’t upgrade to red — as many expected — because “the danger was not high.”
The decision was kind to Mauvaka and France. Instead of losing a man for the last hour of the match on Saturday at Stade de France, the French were inconvenienced for only 10 minutes. France beat Scotland 35-16 and clinched its first Six Nations title since 2022.
The citing commissioner showed it disagreed with the ruling by sending Mauvaka to a disciplinary hearing, where the citing was upheld.
Because Mauvaka was remorseful and had a clean record, his sanction was halved from a starting point of six weeks. He will miss three games for his Toulouse club.
On Tuesday, Italy forwards Ross Vintcent and Giacomo Nicotera were suspended for three and four games respectively for their red cards against Ireland in Rome.
Vintcent was initially yellow-carded for a head-on-head tackle of Hugo Keenan. The bunker upgraded it to a 20-minute red. Nicotera also had a yellow changed to red after he made contact with Peter O’Mahony’s head in a ruck at the end of the game.
They will miss games for Exeter and Stade Francais.
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