Six-week ban for Alberghini

Italy U20 centre Giovanni Alberghini has been suspended from for six weeks, having pleaded guilty to an act of foul play in the match against Ireland U20 in Parma on Friday night.

The incident left Michael Kearney with a wound below his left eye that required stitches and may leave a permanent scar.

The player had been cited by the independent Six Nations Citing Commissioner at the match, Paul Minto (Scotland). The independent Six Nations Disciplinary Committee, chaired by Rod McKenzie (Scotland) and comprising Antony Davies (England) and Terry Vaux (Wales), considered that the act of foul play, a stamp to the head during a ruck, contrary to Law 10.4(b), merited a top-end entry point in the scale of IRB sanctions.