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; "Decision makes a mockery of player welfare," say Progressive Rugby
Tuesday 15 August 2023 21:59, UK
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.
The 31-year-old 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 his team's World Cup campaign.
Following the decision, reaction came in from the England camp through fly-half George Ford, who told Sky Sports: "It is great news for us, we are over the moon as a squad.
"Obviously they have gone through the disciplinary process and come to the outcome they have which is great for us in terms of having our captain and leader getting away with getting through the process and cracking on as normal."
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.
The decision to overturn the red card is sure to anger anti-concussion campaigners, among them former Wales international Alix Popham, who described it as a "shocking challenge".
Progressive Rugby, which campaigns for better protection of rugby union players, issued a statement condemning the decision.
"Today's astounding decision to overturn the red card given to Owen Farrell for his tackle on Taine Basham has made a mockery of World Rugby's claim that player welfare is the game's number one priority," the statement read.
"Additionally, despite protestations in the judgement to the contrary, it has critically undermined the newly introduced bunker process before a global tournament and eroded confidence in the game's judicial process which is meant to help protect those playing the game."
