Italy lose prop for Six Nations opener due to hefty ban
NEWS: Italy prop Mirco Spagnolo will miss the Six Nations opener against Scotland next month after being handed a five-match ban.
The Benetton prop was sent off for a dangerous clean-out at a ruck in the derby against Zebre just after Christmas.
The player accepted that he had committed an act of foul play which warranted a red card.
The judicial officer overseeing the disciplinary process, Neil Snellenburg, found the incident met the red card threshold, with the entry point of top-end warranting a 10-week suspension, before 50% mitigation was applied due to the player’s apology, good disciplinary record, and his “full engaged participation” throughout the disciplinary process.
The 24-year-old Spagnolo played in three of Italy’s four Nations Series matches.
He started in the defeat to Argentina before featuring off the bench against Georgia and New Zealand.
