Steyn appeals ban for high tackle

Paris - Montpellier's South African flyhalf star Frans Steyn on Tuesday appealed against the four-week ban imposed for a dangerous tackle on Leinster counterpart Johnny Sexton in a European Champions Cup tie earlier this month.

The 29-year-old - capped 53 times and one of the Springboks' stars of the 2007 World Cup triumph - was red-carded just before the half-hour mark of his team's 57-3 mauling which ended their hopes of making the quarter-finals.

"The Montpellier player, Francois Steyn, has lodged an appeal against the four-week suspension imposed on him by an independent Disciplinary Committee following his sending off during his club's European Rugby Champions Cup, Round 5 match against Leinster Rugby at the RDS on 13 January 2017," read the European Professional Club Rugby statement.

If he fails in his appeal on Wednesday he will be sidelined until March 6.