Jamie Heaslip pays heavy price for Pascal Pape’s brutal challenge

The full extent of the damage caused to Jamie Heaslip’s back by Pascal Papé’s knee on Saturday was revealed last night when the Ireland camp revealed the No.8 has been ruled out for a month.

The news that Heaslip suffered fractures to parts of three vertebrae during the 52nd-minute act of foul play by the France lock came on the day Papé was cited by the independent citing commissioner, Italy’s Stefano Marrama.

The player only received a yellow card from referee Wayne Barnes after consulting his Television Match Official when assistant Nigel Owens called his attention to the incident which occurred a during a maul. Barnes determined the act had been intentional, telling Papé his actions had been “deliberate”, although France coach Philippe Saint-Andre said he believed it was unintentional.