Arnold 'lucky' to avoid red as he and Toulouse turn eyes to Blues

Australian lock was sin-binned for a wild tackle on Simon Zebo last weekend but he admits it could have been much worse 

Flash point: Munster's Simon Zebo goes down injured after a delayed tackle from Rory Arnold of Toulouse for which he later received a yellow card

Toulouse lock Rory Arnold has admitted he was “very lucky” to escape with a yellow card following his late hit on Munster star Simon Zebo in last Saturday’s Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final.

The Australian international, 32, was issued a yellow card at Aviva Stadium in the 50th minute of a game delicately poised at 21-14 to Munster. He had tackled Zebo moments after the wing had kicked the ball out of the backfield. Arnold, who stands at almost six feet nine inches and weighs nearly 19 stones, went into contact then lifted the Corkman and sent him to the ground but escaped a red card. Judging from the on-field conversations between referee Luke Pearce and TMO Stuart Terheege that was only because Zebo had been planted on his back rather than his neck or head.