DUBLIN (AP) — Fullback Juan Cruz Mallia was banned from Argentina's next three rugby tests on Monday for his red card in the weekend draw with Wales.

Mallia was making a tackle when his head hit the head of Wales scrumhalf Kieran Hardy in the first half of Saturday’s match in Cardiff. He was automatically sent off for a dangerous high tackle.

An independent disciplinary committee called it reckless following a hearing but, recognizing Mallia’s guilty plea and remorse, reduced his suspension from a starting point of six matches to three.

Mallia will miss the second test against Wales this weekend, and the two Rugby Championships tests against South Africa in August.

However, his suspension will end early if he completes World Rugby's new coaching intervention on tackle techniques to avoid head contact.

Do the program successfully, and Mallia's suspension will last two tests, and he will be free to play the second test against the Springboks on Aug. 21.

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