Leinster boss Leo Cullen defends Ringrose over red card, says centre was 'available'

Leo Cullen reckons Garry Ringrose was unlucky to have been red-carded against Wales and cited Jack Boyle's involvement for Leinster against Cardiff as an example of why the Ireland centre’s ban included the URC fixture.

Ringrose was handed a three-match suspension following his sending off in round three of the Guinness Six Nations last weekend.

The ban was reduced from six weeks due to the player’s previous good record, remorse, good conduct and guilty plea.

In addition, the final game of the ban, Ireland’s round-five meeting with Italy in Rome can be substituted should the 30-year complete World Rugby’s coaching intervention programme, commonly known as 'tackle school’.

The first two games of the sanction were today’s 42-24 win for Leinster over Cardiff and next Saturday’s championship clash with France.

Les Bleus out-half Romain Ntamack, who was sent off against Wales in round one for a dangerous tackle, also on Thomas, had initially tried to have a Top14 game for club Toulouse included in his ban but that was subsequently shot down by the disciplinary committee.

Ringrose, who played the full match against England, and 23 and 32 minutes against Scotland and Wales, respectively, may have been released back to Leinster by the IRFU, as prop Boyle was following his Test debut in Cardiff, insisted Cullen.

"I'm not sure what contact has been made behind the scenes but like simplistically, Garry hasn't played a huge amount during the Six Nations, has he?" Cullen told RTÉ Sport.

"So he's available for us this weekend.

"Just like Jack Boyle obviously played in the same game where Garry got banned, so Jack Boyle is playing in the game.

"Just because [he was in] the 23 for Ireland is that week, it doesn't mean [he can't play], players