Owen Farrell faces an anxious wait to learn if he will be banned for the start of Steve Borthwick’s England era.
The national captain was today cited for his tackle on Gloucester’s Jack Clement which disciplinary chiefs have ruled to be dangerous.
Saracens star Farrell will appear before a panel tomorrow hoping that, if found guilty, any suspension expires before the Six Nations starts on February 4.
England open up against Scotland at Twickenham and high excitement will surround the match given Borthwick, Kevin Sinfield and Nick Evans take charge for the first time.
World Rugby Law 9.13. states that a player must not tackle an opponent early, late or dangerously. Dangerous tackling includes, but is not limited to, tackling or attempting to tackle an opponent above the line of the shoulders even if the tackle starts below the line of the shoulders.
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Punishment ranges from two weeks for the mildest offence to six weeks for mid-range and 10-plus for top end.
After seeing the Farrell incident BT Sport pundits Austin Healey and Lawrence Dallaglio were united in their conviction it warranted a red card.
“It’s a definite red card,” Healey said. “That type of tackle we are trying to eradicate from the game.
Farrell was banned for five weeks in 2020 for this dangerous tackle on Wasps' Charlie Atkinson (REX/Shutterstock)"It’s foul play, there is force. I don’t think there is much mitigation.”
Dallaglio agreed: “It is foul play, that is a red card.”
Farrell has previous, having been banned twice before for dangerous tackling - most recently in 2020 when he served five weeks for a tackle, considered “totally unacceptable” by the panel, which knocked out Wasps fly-half Charlie Atkinson and earned the Saracens man a red card.
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