England captain Owen Farrell has been given a five match ban for a high tackle playing for Saracens against Wasps last weekend.
He was shown a red card by referee Christophe Ridley in the 61st minute of the game on Saturday 5 September 2020.
This was for a dangerous tackle on Wasps’ Charlie Atkinson, contrary to World Rugby Law 9.13.
It rules him out of the Champions Cup quarter final clash with Leinster at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday week, which is a repeat of last season’s final.
Farrell faced an online disciplinary hearing last night to answer for the first red card of his career.
However, Farrell will be back in time for England when they resume their Six Nations campaign at the end of October.
England Rugby reported the following…..
Farrell accepted the charge and was given a five match suspension by the independent panel comprising Mike Hamlin (chair) with Gareth Graham and Leon Lloyd.
Independent panel chair Mike Hamlin said: “It was accepted by the RFU, the player and the Panel that the offending was reckless and not intentional. This was a totally unacceptable contact with the neck/head of Charlie Atkinson as a result of a reckless tackle which had the consequences of him being knocked unconscious and sustaining a concussion. This resulted in the Panel concluding that this was a top end offence with an entry point of ten matches. There were no aggravating features.
“Testimonials provided by Mark McCall, Eddie Jones and the founders of a charity with which the player works very closely were of the highest quality. The Panel concluded that applying the off-field mitigating factors, notwithstanding his suspension four and a half years ago, the player was entitled to a reduction from 10 matches to five meaningful matches under RFU regulation 19.11.11. The player is free to play again on 5 October.”
