World Cup disciplinary chiefs have banned Argentina’s Mariano Galarza for nine weeks, excluding him from the rest of the tournament, after an incident with New Zealand’s Brett Retallick.
Galarza was found guilty of making “contact with the eye or eye area” of Retallick during the Pumas’ 26-16 defeat by the world champion All Blacks at Wembley on Sunday.
The giant Argentine, 28, denied the charge. He did not get the maximum sentence because of his good disciplinary record up to now.
World Rugby ordered a clampdown on what it called “insidious” fouls around the eye area in 2009.
The ban extends past the World Cup and will stop Galarza playing for his English club side Gloucester until November 26.