England captain Owen Farrell has had his red card against Wales overturned and is free to play in their Rugby World Cup; England continue preparations with a warm-up match against Six Nations champions Ireland in Dublin on Saturday
England captain Owen Farrell has had his red card against Wales overturned and is free to play in the Rugby World Cup this September.
Farrell was red-carded for a high tackle which saw his shoulder catch Taine Basham in the head during England’s comeback win at Twickenham last Saturday.
Farrell appeared before a video disciplinary hearing on Tuesday morning, where he had the card overturned due to the mitigating factor that Jamie George had pushed Basham before he was hit.
In the hearing, it was decided that a “late change in dynamics” due to George’s involvement in the contact area “brought about a sudden and significant change in direction from the ball carrier”.
Using this mitigation it was decided by the all-Australian panel that Farrell – who was expected to face a mid-range sanction of a six-week suspension – should have been sanctioned with a sin-binning only.
It now means that Farrell can play in England’s final two warm-up games and, barring any further infringements, will be free to play in the entirety of England’s World Cup campaign.
Why is the decision a shock?
Farrell has previous in this area, and for that reason, he was set to receive no mitigation for the sanction handed out, in what many thought would be his fourth ban for a high tackle.
He also could not shave off a week if he received a ban as he did earlier this year by undertaking World Rugby’s tackle school programme.
In January, he received a four-game ban after his shoulder made contact with the head of Gloucester replacement Jack Clement, which was reduced to three.
In 2016 Farrell was suspended for two games for an illegal challenge on Wasps’ Dan Robson during a Champions Cup semi-final, while in 2020 he was banned for five games for a high tackle on Wasps player Charlie Atkinson – a sanction which was reduced from 10 weeks on account of off-field mitigating factors.
Farrell also avoided a citing in November 2018 for a shoulder charge high to the chest of South Africa centre Andre Esterhuizen while playing for England, as the offence was deemed worthy of a yellow card and not red. Farrell avoided a sin-binning for the incident during the Test as England held on to win by a point, 12-11.