La Rochelle back Teddy Thomas has been ruled out of his side's Investec Champions Cup game against Leinster in France on 12 January after receiving a suspension for an incident in a Top 14 game.

The 31-year-old France international was shown a yellow card for a challenge on Clermont Auvergne's Theo Giral in a meeting between the sides before Christmas.

Thomas was subsequently cited and banned for four games.

As well as missing the European encounter with Leo Cullen's side, he will also sit out Top 14 matches against Toulouse and Toulon and the Champions Cup pool game away to Benetton on 18 January.

Leinster twice defeated La Rochelle in Europe last season on their way to the Champions Cup final, once in the group stage and then in the quarter-finals.

Both sides have won their opening Pool 2 matches in this year's competition, accumulating nine points apiece in the process.

Leinster are undefeated in 11 outings in all competitions this season so far thanks to nine straight wins in the United Rugby Championship and two to begin their campaign in the Champions Cup. La Rochelle sit sixth in the Top 14 table.