Dylan Hartley has been handed a six week playing week for his swinging arm hit on Sean O'Brien in the Champions Cup pool game last Friday.
An eight week ban had been speculated and would have caused him to miss the Six Nations opener against France. As it is, his ban will expire shortly before the Six Nations begins.
The offence was deemed worthy of a mid-range ban meaning Hartley would receive a standard five week ban.
However, a further two weeks were added on account of Hartley's colourful disciplinary history. A week was then subtracted on account of his guilty plea.
Hartley six-week ban: Five for the 'mid-range offence' + 2 weeks for poor disciplinary record - 1 week for guilty plea
— ciaran lennon (@ciaranlennon) December 14, 2016
Here's the World Rugby guidelines around punishing a player deemed guilty of a striking offence.
Under World Rugby's Sanctions for Foul Play, Law 10.4 (a), Striking a player with a hand, arm or fist carries the following sanction entry points - Low End: 2 weeks; Mid-Range: 5 weeks; Top End: 8 to 52 weeks
The Sunday Times rugby writer Stephen Jones said that Hartley would be extraordinarily lucky to escape with a six week ban for the offence.
