Irishman O’Toole suspended for two Six Nations matches

Tom O’Toole will be unavailable for Ireland’s first two Six Nations matches after receiving a six-game suspension for dangerous play in the Ulster United Rugby Championship match against Munster.

The 26-year-old prop, who has earned 17 caps for Ireland, was sent off for a dangerous clearance on Munster center Alex Nankivell during his side’s 22-19 defeat at Kingspan Stadium last month.

The United Rugby Championship issued a statement on Monday saying O’Toole had breached a law relating to dangerous play in a ruck or maul: “a player must not drop his weight on an opponent or aim for the lower extremities.”

O’Toole, who played for Ireland in the November internationals, will be suspended for the defending champions’ Six Nations opener at home against England on February 1 and away match against Scotland on February 9.

He will also miss three further Ulster matches, having missed the trip to Connacht on December 28.

O’Toole escaped a 10-game suspension due to his “admission of foul play, immediate apology and again after the game,” the URC said.

The statement added that Ireland interim coach Simon Easterby had confirmed that O’Toole had a “very good chance” of being named in the Six Nations matchday squads.

“In these circumstances it is appropriate that Ireland’s first two matches be included,” he said.