He is suspended from August 15 to October 16, and can play again on October 17.

Rabeni appeared before an RFU Disciplinary Panel of chairman Christopher Quinlan, John Doubleday and John Brennan in Bristol on Thursday evening.

Tigers chief executive Peter Wheeler, who accompanied Rabeni at the hearing, said: “While we were disappointed that more mitigation was not taken into account for the fact that Seru had played in charity events, he has an absolute obligation not to play where banned.”

The club will now hold its own disciplinary hearing.