Tackle costs Blues star three weeks

DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: Josh Turnbull of Cardiff Blues has been banned for a period of three weeks, following the Pro14 Round 1 fixture against Zebre last weekend.

The incident - when Turnbull hit an opponent late and his shoulder connected to the head - occurred in the second half of the game in Stadio Lanfranchi, Parma.

Referee George Clancy (Ireland) deemed the player to have committed an act of foul play against opponent Maxime Mbanda (No.6) of Zebre.

The Player was shown a red card by the referee under Law 9.13 - A Player must not tackle an opponent early, late, or dangerously.

Dangerous tackling includes, but is not limited to, tackling, or attempting to tackle an opponent above the line of the shoulders even if the tackle starts below the line of the shoulders.

The judicial process was handled by Tommy Dalton (Ireland), who concluded that the act warranted a mid-range offence and that the actions of the player were not deliberate but reckless.

The player's acknowledgement of the offence, compliance throughout the process and remorse shown justified mitigation of 50 percent, meaning the player is banned for a period of three weeks.

The Player is free to play from midnight on Tuesday, November 3.

The Player was reminded of his right to appeal.