WELLINGTON, July 14, 2026 (Net) – Italy lock forward Niccolo Cannone was on Tuesday banned for four matches after receiving a red card against New Zealand last weekend, meaning he will miss the Na-tions Championship clash with Australia.
Cannone head-butted All Blacks scrum-half Cam Roigard in the second half of the Test in Wellington on Saturday.
He was given a yellow card which was upgraded to red on review and led to the Italians playing with 14 men for 20 minutes of the match which they lost 47-17.
The Foul Play Review Committee (FPRC) found Cannone guilty of physical abuse, a Nations Champi-onship statement said Tuesday.
“The dangerous play, for which Cannone received a red card… merited a low-end entry point (ban) of six weeks/matches,” the statement said.
“In light of Cannone’s acceptance that he committed an act of foul play worthy of ordering off, as well as mitigating factors such as his disciplinary record, conduct, and remorse, the FPRC applied a two-week reduction to the sanction.
“Cannone has been suspended from all forms of the game for four weeks.”
It means the second-row regular will miss Saturday’s Nations Championship Test against Australia in Perth and three matches for his Italian club, Benetton Rugby, when the new season begins in September.
