The Queensland Reds have copped a blow on their run into the playoffs with wing Suliasi Vunivalu receiving a one-week ban for tripping two opposition player's in the side's loss to the Fijian Drua in Fiji on Saturday afternoon.
Handed a yellow card within four minutes of the match after he stuck his right leg out and tripped Drua's Kitione Salawa metres from the try-line, which cost his side a penalty try, he saw red in the second half when he replicated the action, clipping Selestino Ravutaumada on a charge towards the line.
While Ravutaumada didn't go down, the TMO saw enough evidence to deem Vunivalu had tripped the wing leaving referee Angus Gardner no choice but to hand Vunivalu a red card.
Under law 9.12 "a player must not physically abuse anyone. Physical abuse includes, but not limited to tripping" it holds an entry point suspension of two weeks, but according to the Foul Play Review Committee "the player was given a 50% discount for entering an early guilty plea, reducing the suspension from two weeks to one".
Vunivalu will be available for the Reds' final round clash against the Waratahs in Sydney and the finals series.