Kyle Eastmond receives four week ban for headshot on Ian Madigan

Leicester Tigers centre Kyle Eastmond received a four week ban after his disciplinary hearing in Coventry on Tuesday following a red card for a high challenge on Bristol fly-half Ian Madigan on Saturday.

Eastmond was sent off in the first-half of Leicester's 41-10 defeat to the Bears with the England centre facing an independent disciplinary hearing after being cited following the weekend's Premiership games. Referee Wayne Barnes noted that there was “direct contact to the chin and head with force” and that it was a straightforward red card. Meanwhile Leicester Tigers  currently sit in seventh in the Premiership table after three wins and six losses from nine games and head coach and former Ireland international Geordan Murphy said that the Tigers were absolutely appalling in their performance.

"Nobody is more embarrassed than I am," Murphy told the club's media team. "An absolutely appalling performance. We are devastated. It's one of those things, we probably won't speak until next Friday. I've asked the boys not to do any media. I know it's going to be absolutely brutal for our fans to take. I hope they stay with us. We are in a bit of a hole and we just have to keep digging until we get out of it."