<
>

James Haskell and Mathieu Bastareaud to miss Six Nations games after suspensions

play
Haskell: Being suspended for England 'the hardest thing' (3:08)

James Haskell explains his side of the red card incident that will see him miss England's opening two games at the Six Nations. (3:08)

James Haskell and Mathieu Bastareaud will miss games in the 2018 Six Nations Championship after both players were handed bans following incidents from last weekend's European club action.

Wasps' flanker Haskell was sent-off by Romain Poite for a dangerous tackle on Jamie Roberts during his side's Champions Cup clash against Harlequins at the weekend, and he has now been handed a four-week ban -- ruling him out of England's first two Six Nations games against Italy and Wales.

Bastareaud, meanwhile has received a three-week ban after he was cited for making a homophobic comment aimed at Treviso flanker Sebastian Negri Da Oleggio in the 80th minute of Toulon's 36-0 thrashing of the Italian side in last weekend's Champions Cup clash.

Bastareaud's offence carries a six-week ban at the low end of World Rugby's sanctions for verbal abuse of a player, leading to fears that the player could miss most of France's Six Nations campaign, but it was halved after the player's guilty plea.

France included Bastareaud in their Six Nations squad despite the citing hearing looming over him, but Jonathan Danty has now been called-up by Jacques Brunel as cover.

After being cited on Monday, Bastareaud wrote on his Twitter account: "Good evening everybody, I want to apologise to my response to the insults of the Italian Player. I reacted badly in responding to his provocation, I am sincerely sorry for the people I hurt."