Owen Farrell hit with four-match ban after red card against Wales
Owen Farrell will miss the start of the World Cup after the England captain was banned for four matches by an appeal committee for his dangerous tackle against Wales
Farrell will be unavailable for the crucial Pool D matches against Argentina and Japan, with this month’s warm-up games against Ireland and Fiji also included in the suspension.
World Rugby had appealed against the decision of a disciplinary panel to downgrade Farrell’s red card for a high tackle at Twickenham on August 12 to yellow.
A furious outcry greeted the verdict that the Saracens fly-half’s shoulder-led challenge to Taine Basham’s head, which caused the Wales flanker to fail an HIA, was a sin-binning offence only.
The appeal committee found that the original hearing had not considered Farrell’s failure to wrap when attempting the tackle, which had formed a key part of the bunker review system’s analysis when upgrading from yellow to red.
On this basis it was decided to hear the case afresh and after a video hearing that began at 7.30am and finished early evening it was decided that a sending-off was the right outcome because the hit on Basham was ‘always illegal’.
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He’s still got off very lightly. With his record a 6 week ban should have been the minimum.
Good. Owen Farrell is a thug and got his just deserts today. Still puzzled how that so-called “independent” panel of Australians found in his favour and thought the tackle made was acceptable. and within the rules. Highly suspect if you ask me? Anyway, I’m elated World Rugby won its case and found his tackle was highly dangerous and deserved a ban, but I’m sad that Taine Basham might miss games thanks to that man-baby coward. Safety must be paramount not one rule for England’s captain Owen Farrell and another for everyone else. But I hope when he eventually plays is… Read more »
He’s a serial offender and all past offences should be taken into consideration when handing out match bans pretty much the same as civil law does against reoffending criminals.
On the RFU rules site on foul play, rule 19 9.11 states that the lower ban is, 2 weeks/games, mid range 6 weeks/games, high 10 weeks/ games,. With his previous on high tackles, including 6 yellow and a red plus he’s been to “tackle school” how in heaven did he only get a 4 game ban. Let off lightly again.