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Rugby

13th May 2015

VINE: Italian player to miss World Cup warm-ups after this hit on Gordon D’Arcy

Edoardo Gori sent off for spearing Irishman

Kevin McGillicuddy

He’s okay, thankfully.

Unless he goes to the World Cup these could be the last moments of Gordon D’arcy’s rugby career we’re witnessing over the next few weeks.

The legendary centre has decided to hang up his boots after the World Cup, and, on Friday, was his final home game for Leinster at the RDS.

Matt O’Connor’s side needed a win over Treviso to ensure of a place in the Champions Cup next season, and did so in very trying conditions thanks to an early try from Jamie Heaslip and the boot of Ian Madigan and Jimmy Gopperth.

D’arcy was introduced as a second half substitute for Ian Madigan on the hour mark, and looked lively throughout until he was upended very dangerously towards the end of the game by Edoardo Gori.

Thankfully he got to his feet but Gori was deservedly sent off for the reckless challenge.

Gori was banned for two weeks, today, for the tackle on D’Arcy. A statement from Guinness PRO12 reads:

‘Due to the requirement for the sanction to have meaningful consequences, and specifically to take account of the close season, the disciplinary committee held that the suspension should end at midnight on Sunday, 30 August, with the player ruled out of the final PRO12 match of the season, together with two of Italy’s summer international matches prior to the World Cup.’

Earlier in the night Shane Jennings,who was not part of the match day squad,said his goodbyes to the Leinster faithful at halftime ahead of his retirement

*Updated from post first published on May 8