Josh Turnbull: Cardiff Blues back-rower handed three-week ban

Josh Turnbull has won 10 caps for Wales since his international debut in 2011

Cardiff Blues back-rower Josh Turnbull has been given a three-week ban after being sent off in their win over Zebre.

Turnbull was shown the red card during Friday's match by Irish referee George Clancy for a dangerous tackle to the head of Zebre flanker Maxime Mbanda.

The judicial process deemed the act warranted a mid-range offence and accepted the incident was reckless but not deliberate.

Turnbull, 32, is free to play again from Tuesday, 3 November.

The Wales international will miss matches against Connacht on 10 October, Munster on 26 October and Ulster on 2 November.

The ban was originally placed at six weeks but halved because of the mitigating factors of Turnbull's acknowledgement of the offence, his compliance throughout the process and remorse shown.

It was Turnbull's first red card of a career which started for Scarlets in 2007, with the back-rower playing more than 100 games each for the Llanelli-based region and Cardiff Blues.