Friday 16 June 2017 15:32, UK
The French Rugby Federation has been reprimanded for failing to follow head injury assessment (HIA) protocols during the conclusion to March's controversial Six Nations win over Wales in Paris, but have been cleared of trying to gain an advantage.
In the incident in the 81st minute of the game, France's replacement prop Uini Atonio went off for a head injury assessment, with starting tighthead Rabah Slimani then returning to the field having already been substituted.
The referee, Wayne Barnes, allowed this to happen as the France team doctor insisted Atonio needed a HIA, with Wales ahead by five points.
But deep into stoppage time France turned the game around when Damien Chouly drove over in the 100th minute and Camille Lopez converted to make the score 20-18 to France.
Wales' interim head coach Rob Howley was not happy following the conclusion of the game, and said the "integrity of the game had been brought into disrepute".
But an untoward incident review group (UIRG) appointed to investigate the incident concluded, three months after the event, "there was no clear evidence that there was any intent to obtain a competitive advantage".
