Rodney Ah You: Ulster prop can face Cardiff after being handed one-week ban

Rodney Ah You joined Ulster last summer after six years with Connacht

Rodney Ah You will be available for Ulster's next Pro12 game against Cardiff Blues after he was handed a one-week ban for his red card against the Dragons last Friday.

The Ireland prop, 28, was sent off for a shoulder charge into the head of Dragons full-back Carl Meyer.

The offence normally incurs a two-week ban but Ah You's admission and clean previous record led to a reduction.

Ah You's one-week ban will be served by him missing Ulster A's game on Friday.

The Ulster second string face their Leinster counterparts at Banbridge so Ah You will be eligible to feature for the Irish province in their Pro12 game against Cardiff at Kingspan Stadium on 7 April.

A Pro12 statement said that the the disciplinary panel in Edinburgh "accepted the player's admission of guilt and upon review of the incident deemed it clumsy and reckless, but not intentional".

"The foul was categorised at a low end entry point which carries a suspension of two weeks," added the statement.

"However, the disciplinary panel also took into account mitigating factors such as the player's prompt admission of responsibility for the offence, his exemplary conduct at the hearing, and his previous clean record."

Roddy Dunlop QC chaired the three-man panel which included other Scottish officials Iain Leslie and John Kirk.

The 28-year-old, who joined Ulster from Connacht last summer, won the Junior World Championship with New Zealand in 2008.

Ah You signed for Connacht two years later, qualified to play for Ireland in 2013 and made his Irish debut the following year in Argentina.