Paul Willemse learns his Six Nations fate after red card in opening round
France's Paul Willemse is shown a red card after receiving a second yellow during the Guinness Six Nations match at the Orange Velodrome in Marseille, France.
France second-row Paul Willemse will not be in action in his side’s Six Nations Test against Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday after he received a three-week suspension.
The 31-year-old will also be unavailable for Les Bleus’ showdown with Italy at the Decathlon Arena in Lille on Sunday, February 25 after he was sent off during last Friday’s tournament-opening loss to Ireland in Marseille.
Willemse received his punishment following an independent disciplinary committee hearing on Tuesday.
Two yellow cards
The South African-born forward received two yellow cards for foul play during France’s 38-17 defeat, the second of which was later upgraded to red.
The 32-cap international was initially yellow carded in the eighth minute for catching Andrew Porter in his face while the Ireland loosehead was executing a tackle.
Ireland were leading 3-0 at the time but they extended their lead to 10-0 during Willemse’s stint off the field courtesy of a converted Jamison Gibson-Park try.
Just after the half-hour mark, referee Karl Dickson gave Willemse his marching orders following a second yellow card for a shoulder to head tackle on Ireland number eight Caelan Doris.
He received bans of four weeks and three weeks for the offences, to run concurrently, meaning a suspension of four weeks.
Willemse can further reduce the suspension to three weeks by applying to take part in World Rugby’s coaching intervention programme – the so-called ‘tackle school’. He also has the right to appeal.
No evidence of maliciousness
The Montpellier star could have been suspended for longer but, while the committee found his actions “reckless”, according to a statement, they accepted “there was no evidence to suggest the player acted maliciously or with intent in either case”.
Willemse’s suspension comes after he was forced to withdraw from France‘s 33-man Rugby World Cup squad due to a thigh injury shortly before the start of the global showpiece on home soil last year.
READ MORE: Fabien Galthie slammed as ‘not a leader of men’ after ‘slap in the face’ loss