Will Greenwood says Mathieu Bastareaud will pay price for homophobic remark

Will Greenwood believes world rugby's reaction to the homophobic remark made by Mathieu Bastareaud has sent out a sufficient message that the game will not condone such behaviour.

Speaking on the Offload, the former England star was reacting to the three-week ban handed down to the France and Toulon centre who admitted to verbally abusing Benetton flanker Sebastian Negri during Sunday's European Champions Cup tie.

The incident happened in the last minute of the match when Bastareaud made a homophobic comment that was picked up on the referee's microphone.

The 29-year-old apologised for making the remark but he was cited following the match and handed a three-week suspension on Wednesday, meaning he will miss France's Six Nations opener against Ireland on February 3.

There have been calls that World Rugby's response has not gone far enough, but Greenwood expects the ban to be more far-reaching than the initial suspension.

"I do not think there is a plight in the game of homophobia and I still think this is an isolated incident at the top level of a player getting it badly, badly wrong and the implications of what has taken place in the public domain are with far more than the three-week ban," Greenwood said.

I think there are enough people speaking out about it, that we now absolutely, truly understand that rugby is an inclusive game for all, and there is absolutely no place in the game for this language.

"I think the big outcry and the absolute vilification of what has taken place with Bastareaud is worth a year or a two-year ban mentally for him.

"I think he has realised he has made a major gaff in terms of his very, very lazy use of language.

"I think a ban combined with the social media outcry and now the fact that wherever he goes, that comment will be associated with him, will be enough.

"And I think there are enough people speaking out about it, that we now absolutely, truly understand that rugby is an inclusive game for all, and there is absolutely no place in the game for this language.

"There is no defence for his language I do think that in this trial by social media we have, that actually, the damage done to him and his reputation is now severe enough that he will realise that this is language that is unacceptable and with it, the outcry that's been made will let everyone else know that whether or not there is a deep-rooted homophobic or it is lazy use of language, neither will be allowed or condoned in our sport and must be eradicated."