French international Pascal Papé has lost his appeal against the severity of his 10 week ban.

The experienced second-row was punished for kneeing Ireland's Jamie Heaslip in the lower back during last month's Six Nation's clash in Dublin, which left the Leinster player with three fractured vertebrae.

Pape apologised to Heaslip on Twitter two weeks, in a move accepted by the injured No8.