ULSTER WILL BE without tighthead prop Declan Fitzpatrick for another 80 minutes after the Pro12 disciplinary committee handed the international a reduced-sentence one-game ban.

Fitzpatrick was given a straight red card in Ulster’s defeat to Zebre on Saturday for punching hooker Andrea Manici  in the 11th minute.

Today’s statement from the Pro12 disciplinary committee says the Welsh panel adjudged the punch to be on the low end of IRB sanctions and imposed a two-week ban. The statement adds:

“In the absence of any aggravating factors and in light of several compelling mitigating factors, including the player’s exemplary previous playing record, the Committee applied a one week reduction from the entry point and suspended the player from playing for one week.”

The ban means that, having already missed 69 minutes of rugby after receiving the red card, Fitzpatrick will be unavailable for Friday’s Pro12 meeting with Edinburgh, but will be free to play from October 6 and so will feature again when Glasgow head to Belfast on October 11.

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