Ulster Payne’s Sarries red card upheld

Ulster full-back Jared Payne has been hit with a two-match ban following his red card against Saracens in the Heineken Cup quarter-final defeat last Saturday.

Payne was controversially sent off in the fifth minute by referee Jerome Garces after running into Andy Goode while the England full-back jumped to catch a high ball. An independent disciplinary hearing held in Dublin decided Payne had contravened Law 10.4(i) — tackling an opponent jumping for the ball in open play.

It means Payne will miss Friday’s clash with Connacht in Belfast and the trip to Glasgow the following weekend. Payne is due to return for the official opening of the new Ravenhill Stadium complex on May 2 when Pro12 leaders Leinster will be looking to do the double over the Ulstermen this season. It means Ulster will be without seven front-line players for the next two weeks. Along with Payne, the lengthening injury list includes Rory Best (ankle), Dan Tuohy (broken arm), Ruan Pienaar (AC joint), Roger Wilson (broken Thumb), Andrew Trimble (concussion) and John Afoa (back).