SALE Sharks prop Lionel Faure has received a six-week ban after being sent off in a Guinness Premiership clash against Leeds last Saturday.

Faure was red-carded for punching Tykes' former All Blacks scrum-half Justin Marshall during Sharks' 17-11 victory at Headingley.

The ex-Pau forward had already been suspended by his club, and the six-week punishment was imposed by a Rugby Football Union disciplinary panel, sitting in London.

Faure will be available to play again on December 18, ruling him out of three league games, a Powergen Cup trip to Llanelli and Sharks' next Heineken Cup game against French club Castres. Tweet