Statement: Italy forward banned with immediate effect

Riccioni started Italy's 57-10 loss before being replaced after 54 minutes. Shortly afterwards, a mass confrontation spilled over the touchline near the replacements, with the prop becoming involved.

Referee Christophe Ridley issued him a red card after he appeared to throw a punch, forcing him to watch the rest of the match from the changing room.

SANZAAR's Foul Play Review Committee found Riccioni guilty of conduct contrary to the spirit of good sportsmanship and initially imposed a four-match suspension.

That punishment was cut to two matches after the Italian admitted the offence. The committee also considered his previous disciplinary record, his behaviour during the hearing and the remorse he showed before reducing the sanction.

As a result, Riccioni will miss Perpignan's next two fixtures. His new side open their Top 14 campaign away to Stade Francais on 5 September.

The 28-year-old has joined the Catalan club after leaving Saracens at the end of last season, bringing an end to his five-year spell in north London.

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While bans from rugby's biggest tournament are extremely rare, several nations have been excluded over the years for reasons ranging from political sanctions to breaches of eligibility rules.

Here are all the countries to have been banned or removed from Rugby World Cup participation.

The Springboks missed the first two Rugby World Cups because of international sporting sanctions against apartheid-era South Africa.

Having been isolated from international sport throughout much of the 1970s and 1980s, South Africa was not invited to either the inaugural tournament in 1987 or the 1991 edition.

Following the end of apartheid, the Springboks returned to international rugby in 1992 before famously winning the 1995 Rugby World Cup on home soil.

Spain appeared to have qualified for Japan 2019 before disaster struck.

World Rugby ruled that they had fielded ineligible player Gavin van den Berg during qualification and deducted points, dropping Spain out of the qualification places.

Romania were initially handed the spot before further investigations changed the picture once again.

Romania qualified for the 2023 Rugby World Cup but were later expelled from the tournament after World Rugby found they had fielded ineligible player Jason Tomane during the qualification process.

Portugal were promoted into Pool C following the decision.

Russia was suspended by World Rugby in February 2022 following the invasion of Ukraine.

The suspension covers all international rugby and cross-border club competitions, preventing the Bears from competing in Rugby World Cup qualification.

World Rugby stated the suspension would remain in place "until further notice", and it has not been lifted.

Belarus was sanctioned alongside Russia in 2022.

Although they have never qualified for a Rugby World Cup, the country is barred from international rugby and therefore unable to enter qualification tournaments while the suspension remains active.

Like Russia, Belarus remains suspended until further notice.