SARACENS prop Mako Vunipola has been banned for four games after his red card in last week’s win over Newcastle. The 32-year-old was sent off for a dangerous tackle on Bryan Byrne. Vunipola admitted foul play but said it did not meet the red card threshold. An independent disciplinary panel upheld the sending off and imposed the ban, which will see Vunipola return in time for the Six Nations.

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