Dragons back-row Taine Basham has been hit with a four-game ban after his red card against Leinster last weekend.

The Wales international was dismissed in the 33-10 loss at Rodney Parade after a needless elbow to the back of Leinster fly-half Ross Byrne's head.

He'll now miss this weekend's derby against the Ospreys, as well as matches against Sharks, Lions and Oyonnax. He will be available for the trip to Pau on December 16, with festive derbies against Cardiff and Scarlets to follow.

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Basham accepted he deserved a red card when going through the disciplinary process and judicial officer Roddy MacLeod deemed it was a mid-range offence warranting a six-week ban. However, two games were chalked off – Pau and Cardiff – due to “his remorse, apology and engagement in the disciplinary process”.

The act was slammed as "indefensible" by former Ireland international Donal Lenihan, with the RTE commentator claiming that Basham "knew exactly what he was doing".

The incident occurred after Byrne had cleared his lines, with Basham catching the fly-half with an elbow. Speaking on RTE's coverage, Lenihan said: "It certainly looked like there was a shoulder going in on the back of Ross Byrne's head there. You see the elbow coming up there, that's a cheap shot I think.

"Watch his elbow. That should be a card for me. It's a cheap shot. There's no question for me Basham knew exactly what he’s doing. Leads with the elbow, definitely caught Ross Byrne on the head.

"It's clear movement upwards and forwards with the elbow. He knew exactly what he was doing."