Become a member to join in Australia's biggest sporting debate, submit articles, receive updates straight to your inbox and keep up with your favourite teams and authors.
Owen Farrell is out of England’s first two World Cup pool games after World Rugby successfully appealed against the controversial decision to overturn his red card.
The England captain received a four-game ban for his red card against Wales 12. The ban includes last week’s match against Ireland – he wasn’t selected – and this week’s game against Fiji which means he will miss group games against Argentina and Japan.
Farrell’s red card was overturned by an all-Australian independent judicial committee, which was then overruled on WR appeal.
The Appeal Committee said the tackle was “always illegal”.
Farrell became the first England player to receive a red card from rugby’s ‘bunker’ review system when he made a high tackle on Taine Basham during England’s 19-17 win over Wales.
The Appeal Committee found that, in their original hearing, the Disciplinary Committee should have considered Farrell’s attempt to wrap his opponent in the tackle.
(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
Advertisement
Therefore the Appeal Committee determined that no mitigation could be made for the tackle, and that the original decision to overturn the red card was an error, which led them to ban Farrell.
Farrell captain appeared at an appeal hearing, via video link, in front of an independent judicial panel of chair Nigel Hampton KC (New Zealand), along with Shao-ing Wang from Singapore and Donal Courtney from Ireland.
It was reported Farrell’s hearing began at 6.30am UK time and some 13 hours later, there was an announcement from the Six Nations – who oversee the process in this case.
The full Six Nations statement
“Following an initial disciplinary committee hearing for England No10 Owen Farrell, who received a red card during the Summer Nations Series match between England and Wales on August 12, World Rugby lodged a formal appeal against the committee’s decision to downgrade the red card to a yellow, appealing for the red card to be upheld.
Advertisement
“The appeal committee met on Tuesday, August 22, and unanimously determined that in the original hearing the disciplinary committee should have considered the attempt of the player to wrap his opponent in the tackle. This point did not feature in the original decision.
“The failure to attempt to wrap was judged to be an important element of the foul play review officer’s (FPRO) report and had led to an upgrading of the referee’s yellow card to a red card during the match.
“As this element did not feature in the original decision, the appeal committee decided it was in the interests of justice to hear the case afresh on that key point alone, which included hearing from the player.
“Following the review by the appeal committee of this key element, it was determined that the FPRO was correct in his decision leading to the red card. The appeal committee subsequently determined that the tackle was ‘always illegal’.
“When applying the terms of World Rugby’s head contact process, no mitigation can be applied to a tackle that is ‘always illegal’.
“The appeal committee, therefore, considered that the disciplinary committee’s decision to downgrade the red card to a yellow card had been manifestly wrong, which led to the disciplinary committee’s decision being overturned, the appeal brought by World Rugby being allowed and the red card upheld.
“In considering sanction, the committee applied World Rugby’s mandatory minimum mid-range entry point for foul play resulting in contact with the head (six matches). Taking all considerations into account, including the player’s acceptance of foul play, clear demonstration of remorse and his good character, the committee agreed a four-match suspension.
Advertisement
“The appeal committee accepted submissions on behalf of the player that the Ireland vs England match on August 19, for which the player was voluntarily stood down, would be included as part of the sanction. Therefore, the suspension applies to the following matches:
Ireland vs England (Aug 19); England vs Fiji (Aug 26); England vs Argentina (Sept 9); England vs Japan (Sept 17).”
