Exeter's England forward Ethan Roots has been banned for three games after striking his "friend", Gloucester hooker Jack Innard.
Roots hit his former Exeter team-mate while he was on the ground in the final moments of Sunday's Prem game at Kingsholm.
The 28-year-old was given a 20-minute red card for the offence, which left Innard with a concussion.
He will miss Exeter's European Challenge Cup semi-final at Ulster on Saturday as well as the meeting with Prem leaders Bath at Sandy Park and the game against Harlequins at Twickenham.
"We have no personal animosity at all," Roots said in a statement to a Rugby Football Union disciplinary panel.
"To the contrary he is a friend and my brother who also plays for Exeter has rented his house since Jack joined Gloucester."