Wales lock set to miss Champions Cup semi-final after red card

Exeter Chiefs lock Dafydd Jenkins is set to miss Sunday’s Heineken Champions Cup semi-final against title holders La Rochelle after being banned for three weeks by the Rugby Football Union.

The 20-year-old was dismissed by referee Craig Maxwell-Keys on 17 minutes of the Chiefs’ narrow win over Bristol Bears on Saturday at Sandy Park after making contact with the head of prop Max Lahiff in a tackle.

After accepting that he committed an act of foul play at a hearing this week, although challenging that it warranted a red card, the six-cap Wales international has been banned, and will now miss the clash with La Rochelle at the Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux and the Chiefs’ final match of the Gallagher Premiership season against London Irish. Should he take part in World Rugby’s Coaching Intervention Programme (CIP), he would have his ban reduced from three weeks to two, allowing him to take part in the Champions Cup final should the Chiefs beat La Rochelle.

If the three week ban is upheld, Jenkins will either miss the European final, or Wales’ opening World Cup warm-up Test against England if the Chiefs fail to beat La Rochelle.

The RFU statement reads: “The case of Dafydd Jenkins, Exeter Chiefs, was heard yesterday by independent disciplinary panel chaired by Sir James Dingemans sitting with Mitch Read and Carl Bradshaw.

“Jenkins received a red card for dangerous tackling contrary to World Rugby Law 9.13 during the match against Bristol Bears on 22 April 2023. The player accepted he committed an act of foul play but challenged that it merited a red card, however, the panel upheld the red card.

“He received a three-week ban and received permission to take part in World Rugby’s Coaching Intervention Programme (CIP) which will reduce the sanction to two weeks if completed.”