Ulster prop Declan Fitzpatrick receives one-week ban for punch

Ulster prop Declan Fitzpatrick

Ulster prop Declan Fitzpatrick will not be available for Friday's Pro12 game against Edinburgh after being handed a one-week ban for punching during the defeat by Zebre in Parma last weekend.

The forward was sent-off for a punch on Zebre hooker Andrea Manici in the 11th minute of a scoreless first half.

A disciplinary committee found that the incident was at the low end of the IRB sanctions for the type of offence.

Fitzpatrick will be free to play before Glasgow come to Belfast on 11 October.

The tight head prop forward appeared before an independent Pro12 Disciplinary Committee on Wednesday.

"The Committee, having viewed TV footage of the incidents and listened to representations made by and on behalf of the player, found that the incident was at the low end of the IRB sanctions for the type of the offence, carrying a two-week sanction," a statement explained.

"In the absence of any aggravating factors and in light of several compelling mitigating factors, including the player's exemplary previous playing record, the Committee applied a one week reduction from the entry point and suspended the player from playing for one week," the statement continued.

Fitzpatrick, who was returning to action after injury, was shown a red card after a video adjudication by Television Match Official Carlo Damasco.