How Romain Ntamack could miss just ONE Six Nations clash despite three-week ban for ‘revenge mission’
Romain Ntamack in action for France against Wales in the Six Nations and for Toulouse in the Top 14.
Romain Ntamack has been banned following his sending off against Wales in the opening match of the Six Nations Championship last weekend.
The fly-half was sin-binned following his high shot on Welsh playmaker Ben Thomas, with the incident being reviewed in the bunker by the foul play review officer.
It was subsequently upgraded to a red card and Ntamack duly went up before a disciplinary panel on Wednesday, who decided his disciplinary fate.
Mitigation applied to Ntamack ban
The Toulouse star was initially hit with a six-week ban for contravening law 9.13, which states “a player must not tackle an opponent early, late or dangerously”, but full mitigation was applied in this instance.
Due to his clean disciplinary record and admission of guilt, the pivot’s suspension was halved.
However, should Ntamack complete World Rugby’s coaching intervention programme – i.e. ‘tackle school’ – that will be reduced by an extra week.
It is guaranteed that he will miss this weekend’s encounter with England, but the other match – or matches – it takes in will be determined later on.
France face Italy in the third round of the Six Nations on February 23 before Ireland follows on March 8, but that is interspersed by a couple of Toulouse games.
Les Bleus may seek to convince the panel that the Top 14 clash with Clermont Auvergne on February 16 should count towards the ban – even though he probably wouldn’t be involved anyway – thus potentially making him available for the Azzurri clash.
Either way, it appears as though Ntamack will be available for the likely title decider against Ireland in Round Four of the competition.
‘Revenge mission’
Ntamack received heavy criticism for his hit on Thomas, which was described by Wales and Lions legend Sam Warburton as a “revenge mission”.
Warburton told the BBC: “He is bolt upright, there’s force and it’s to the head, a senior coach will be completely annoyed by this.
“A complete lack of composure from Ntamack and this could be a massive blow for their Six Nations.
“The precursor to that was this shot from Ben Thomas, I think it is actually a great shot but it’s the bit of afters on the floor that Ben Thomas does, which you always do in international rugby.
“I think Romain Ntamack has taken it way too personally for what Ben Thomas did and then this looks like a revenge mission to me.”
Ntamack has ultimately paid the price for his recklessness and will be absent for at least one more France match.
He only returned to the French XV last weekend after a lengthy absence due to injury where he missed the Rugby World Cup, the 2024 Six Nations and the Autumn Nations Series.
