Three-week ban for Brian O’Driscoll

Brian O'Driscoll has been given a three-week ban for his stamp on Simone Favaro last Saturday in Rome.
The Ireland centre was initially given five weeks but the independent Six Nations disciplinary committee deducted two weeks on account of his “exemplary previous playing and disciplinary record”.
O'Driscoll was sent to the sin-bin for the offence as 22-15 lost to the Azzurri at the Stadio Olimpico.
He pleaded guilty at the hearing in London today and the ban means the 34-year-old will miss Leinster's Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-final against Wasps on April 5 but will be free to play three days later.