Suspended Edinburgh prop Simon Berghan misses Six Nations opener

Edinburgh's Simon Berghan was sent off against Glasgow for stamping

Edinburgh prop Simon Berghan will miss Scotland's Six Nations opener against Wales after being banned for six weeks.

Berghan, 27, was sanctioned following his fifth-minute red card in Saturday's win over Glasgow for a stamp to the head of Warriors' Fraser Brown.

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A Pro14 disciplinary panel ruled five-cap Berghan's actions warranted a top-end entry-point suspension of 12 weeks.

The punishment was reduced by the maximum 50%, with the tight-head free to play on Sunday, 4 February.

Berghan's sanction was halved due to his "good record, apology to the victim, the fact that no serious injury had occurred and the manner in which he and his club met the case".

The New Zealand-born player joined Edinburgh in 2014, making his international debut against France in last season's Six Nations, and featured against New Zealand and Australia in last month's autumn Tests.

Scotland begin their Six Nations campaign away to Wales on 3 February, before hosting France eight days later, then England on 24 February.

Berghan's Edinburgh and Scotland team-mate WP Nel is unlikely to play any part in the championship due to a fractured elbow.

That leaves Glasgow's Zander Fagerson and Jon Welsh of Newcastle Falcons as the likely contenders to start at tight-head in Cardiff.