Jamie Heaslip sits on the Ireland bench after being sent-off

Ireland's Jamie Heaslip could miss the rest of his side's southern hemisphere tour after being sent-off for kneeing All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw.

The Leinster forward has been cited for the incident 14 minutes into Saturday's Test which New Zealand won 66-28.

Heaslip faces a disciplinary hearing on Sunday and a suspension could rule him out of Ireland's two remaining matches.

They play the New Zealand Maori on Friday and finish with a Test against Australia on 26 June.

Ireland coach Declan Kidney said immediately after Saturday's match in New Plymouth that he had not seen the incident and no decision had been made on how Heaslip would plead.

But he felt ill-discipline had cost Ireland dearly as they played most of the game with 14 men, at one stage down to 13 when Ronan O'Gara was sin-binned.

Referee Wayne Barnes was clearly heard telling Heaslip he had kneed a player twice in the head.

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