France prop Uini Atonio banned for Scotland match in Paris

France prop Uini Atonio has been ruled out of the Guinness Six Nations match against Scotland in Paris after receiving a three-match ban for a dangerous tackle on Ireland hooker Rob Herring during last Saturday’s game at the Aviva Stadium.

France's Uini Atonio leaves the field after being shown a yellow card for a dangerous tackle on Ireland hooker Rob Herring. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA Images

France and Scotland are due to meet in round three of the championship at the Stade de France on February 26. Atonio, who was cited after the match in Dublin, is also suspended for the games against England and Wales, but an independent judicial committee granted an application by the player to take part in a coaching intervention programme, which means he will be available to face Wales on March 18 if he completes it.

Atonio was sin-binned in the first half of France’s 32-19 defeat after his challenge forced Herring off for a head injury assessment from which he did not return. Referee Wayne Barnes was criticised by a number of pundits for his failure to send off the 32-year-old La Rochelle player. Atonio appeared before an independent judicial committee via video link, Six Nations organisers said. “He admitted that he had committed an act of foul play worthy of a red card,” a Six Nations statement said. “Having reviewed all the evidence, the committee accepted the player’s admission that the tackle on Ireland number two was foul play. His shoulder made contact with Ireland number two’s neck/face as described in the citing commissioner’s report, and therefore reached the red-card threshold.”

The player has the right of appeal within three working days of the issuing of the full written decision.