British & Irish Lions hooker Dan Sheehan has been handed a four-match suspension, which can be reduced to three by completing a coaching intervention, for a foul on Australia fly half Tom Lynagh in the third test in Sydney, World Rugby said on Monday.
Sheehan is set to be ruled out of his club Leinster’s pre-season game with Cardiff and their United Rugby Championship matches against Stormers and Sharks in September and October.
He will also miss the game against Munster on October 18 if he fails to successfully complete the coaching intervention.
Lynagh had failed a head injury assessment and was unable to continue after an apparent hit from Sheehan’s elbow, as the Lions suffered their only loss of the nine-match tour of Australia on Saturday.
Sheehan, who had initially denied any foul play, has accepted the suspension given to him by an independent foul play review committee, World Rugby said in a statement.
“In determining foul play, the committee found that Sheehan’s actions were reckless. The committee found that he made head contact with the Australian player, that his action amounted to a high degree of danger and that no mitigation applied,” World Rugby added.
