Exeter fly-half Joe Simmonds has been banned for three weeks for a dangerous tackle in his side's 33-14 Champions Cup win over La Rochelle.

Simmonds was cited for a 16th-minute tackle on La Rochelle winger Kini Murimurivalu which went unpunished.

A disciplinary panel found Simmonds made contact with Murimurivalu's head in a dangerous manner that had warranted a red card.

Simmonds will not be able to play again until Monday 17 February.

He will miss Saturday's game with Sale as well as the Premiership Cup game with Harlequins and the league trip to Gloucester.

Judicial officer Tommy Dalton decided that Simmonds' offence was of mid-range level meaning a starting point of a six-week ban.

But Simmonds' previously clean disciplinary record, guilty plea and expression of remorse afforded him a maximum 50% reduction in his ban.