Ma'afu banned for a week

London - Fiji prop Campese Ma'afu was given a one-week ban on Tuesday after being sent off in last weekend's 17-13 defeat by Wales in Cardiff, officials announced.

Ma'afu, who plays his club rugby for English second-tier side Nottingham, was given his marching orders by French referee Pascal Gauzere after receiving a second yellow card at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

His ban means the front-row forward will miss Fiji's international test match against the United States in Vannes, north-west France, on Friday. Ma'afu is free to resume playing next Monday.

Following a hearing in London on Tuesday, a statement issued on behalf of the disciplinary committee who heard Ma'afu's case, said: "The disciplinary committee, chaired by Jeremy Summers along with Dan White (both England), having viewed footage of the two incidents and listened to representations by and on behalf of the player, imposed a sanction of a one-week suspension.

"The sanction imposed reflected the persistent nature of the offending, rather than the substance of the offences themselves."

Remarkably, despite playing more than half the match a man down while Ma'afu was off the field, Fiji did not concede a point in the second half against Wales.