The 30-year-old, who leaves for his native Northland on Wednesday morning, was dismissed by referee Nigel Whiteouse after 75 minutes at Lansdowne Road, and with the game tantalisingly poised at 17-16 in the men in blue's favour.

Welsh touch judge Richard Hughes had spotted an apparent knee-drop by the Kiwi on Munster scrum-half Peter Stringer at a midfield ruck, but the decision has now been quashed by the Celtic League disciplinary committee.

Holwell will return to Dublin later this month to attend the Leinster Player of the Year awards at the Burlington Hotel (Saturday, May 28).

The former Wellington Hurricane made 22 appearances for the province since linking up with them last October, scoring 283 (5 tries, 49 penalties, 55 conversions) in the process.