Thursday 2 April 2015 09:52, UK
Ulster’s Nick Williams has been banned for eight weeks after being cited for striking Cardiff Blues back Rhys Patchell during last week’s Guinness PRO12 clash.
With the current season due to finish at the end of May, during which time Ulster will play four matches, Williams will not be able to resume his playing career until September 1.
The Ulster No 8 received a yellow card for making illegal contact with Patchell's head at the breakdown during their match in Belfast last Friday, causing an injury which results in Wales international Patchell being carried off and taken to hospital, where he was detained overnight.
Williams appeared in front of a disciplinary committee on Wednesday which consisted of chairman Roger Morris (Wales), Rhian Williams (Wales) and John Doubleday (England).
In a statement, they said: "Having viewed footage of the incident and listened to representations made by and on behalf of the player, the committee found that the incident was at the top end of the World Rugby sanctions for this type of offence, meriting a 16-week starting point.
"In the absence of any aggravating factors and in light of several mitigating factors, including the player's exemplary previous playing record, the disciplinary committee applied an eight-week reduction from the entry point and suspended the player from playing for eight weeks.
"Taking into account the matches remaining this season, and two warm-up matches scheduled for the start of next season, Nick Williams is free to resume playing from Monday, 1 September 2015, and has the right of appeal."
