Sunday 19 August 2018 17:34, UK
Chris Ashton and Sale Sharks are waiting to find out whether the winger will face disciplinary action after he was sent off for fighting in a pre-season friendly.
The incident happened in south-west France on Friday night as Sale beat Castres 20-17 in a game that saw Ashton and opponent Rory Kockott dismissed following an altercation.
Despite the fact the game was a friendly outside England, normal Rugby Football Union (RFU) procedures apply, with referee Romain Poite due to deliver his match report to the RFU by Monday, which will help determine whether the 31-year-old will be handed a ban.
The entry-point sanction for punching is two weeks, but this could rise to four weeks if it is deemed the intended target was Kockott's head, while the top end opens with an eight-week ban.
Counting against Ashton at any hearing would be the total of 23 weeks he missed in 2016 after being found guilty of biting and making contact with the eye area of an opponent.
Sale prop Alexandru Tarus was also sent off, for diving into a ruck head first.
Ashton has 39 England caps and 19 tries but has not played for his country since 2014. He was called up to the Test side in 2016 but subsequent bans for biting and gouging meant he was unable to play.
The former Wigan rugby league, Northampton and Saracens wing joined Toulon for the 2017/18 season, but requested an early release from his contract and signed for Sale, meaning he is now eligible for England again.
Ashton was called up by England boss Eddie Jones for a training camp earlier this month.
Sharks begin their Gallagher Premiership campaign against Harlequins at Twickenham Stoop on September 1.
