SCOTLAND’S Guinness Six Nations hopes suffered a blow with the news that Grant Gilchrist will miss the rest of the campaign after being handed a three-week ban following his red card in the last match away to France.

The second row admitted prior to an independent judicial committee, which he attended via video link, that he had committed an act of foul play when catching Anthony Jelonch with his shoulder early on in the Stade de France showdown a week past Sunday.

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After reviewing all the evidence, the committee applied World Rugby’s mandatory minimum mid-range entry point for foul play involving contact with the head, resulting in a starting point of a six-week suspension.

However, Gilchrist’s early acknowledgement that the incident warranted a red card, his lack of intent and clearly expressed remorse, meant the six-week entry point was reduced to three weeks.

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Gilchrist will now be suspended for the last two matches of Scotland’s campaign at home to Ireland this Sunday and Italy the following Saturday.

The 32-year-old lock was also due to sit out Edinburgh’s United Rugby Championship match away to Connacht later this month, but has had his application granted to take part in the coaching intervention programme instead of missing the third game of his sanction period.