ENGLAND CAPTAIN OWEN Farrell has been cleared to play at the World Cup after having his red card against Wales overturned.
Following an off-pitch bunker review of his high tackle on Wales back row Taine Basham, Farrell was sent off in last weekend’s World Cup warm-up clash.
Given that he had previously been suspended three times for high tackles, it was expected that Farrell would be banned at a disciplinary hearing today but the independent committee has confirmed a shock decision to overturn his red card.
Farrell is free to play immediately, meaning he could face Ireland this weekend in Dublin.
At today’s independent hearing, Farrell accepted that he had committed foul play but denied that it was worthy of a red card.
The independent committee – made up of Australian trio Adam Casselden, David Croft, and former Munster player John Langford – were of the same opinion.
The committee ruled that the Foul Play Review Officer, who had upgraded Farrell’s yellow card to red during the game, “was wrong, on the balance of probabilities”.
The committee stated that mitigation should have been applied due to the contact England hooker Jamie George made with Basham before Farrell’s tackle.
“A late change in dynamics due to England #2’s interaction in the contact area brought about a sudden and significant change in direction from the ball carrier,” according to the committee.
As such, they felt “this mitigation was sufficient to bring the player’s act of foul play below the red card threshold.”
The committee added that “no criticism is made of the Foul Play Review Officer nor, would any be warranted,” pointing out that they had the “luxury of time” to consider the incident at length in private, whereas the Foul Play Review Officer had “a matter of minutes” to assess it.
The statement about the disciplinary decision, issued via the Six Nations, reads:
“The independent Judicial Committee consisting of Adam Casselden SC – Chair, John Langford and David Croft (all from Australia) heard the case, considering all the available evidence and submissions from the player and his representative.
“The player acknowledged that whilst he had committed an act of foul play, he denied that the act was worthy of a red card. After reviewing all the evidence, questioning the player in detail and hearing submissions from the player’s representative, the Committee concluded that the Foul Play Review Officer was wrong, on the balance of probabilities, to upgrade the yellow card issued to the player to a red card. The Committee determined, when applying World Rugby’s Head Contact Process, that mitigation should be applied to the high degree of danger found by the Foul Play Review Officer. The Committee found that a late change in dynamics due to England #2’s interaction in the contact area brought about a sudden and significant change in direction from the ball carrier. In the Committee’s opinion, this mitigation was sufficient to bring the player’s act of foul play below the red car threshold.
“The Committee believe it is important to record, that no criticism is made of the Foul Play Review Officer nor, would any be warranted. Unlike the Foul Play Review Officer the Committee had the luxury of time to deliberate and consider, in private, the incident and the proper application of the Head Contact Process. The Committee believe this is in contrast to the Foul Play Review Officer, who was required to make his decision in a matter of minutes without the benefit of all the additional material including hearing from the player and his legal representative.
“On that basis, the Committee did not uphold the red card and the player is free to play again immediately.”
Absolutely ridiculous
@bee bop: I’m actually raging I want to know how this decision was reached, what kind of pull does the RFU have.
Sexton got 3 games he’s our captain so that shouldn’t be a factor but something is.
@bee bop: and remember he should have missed the first game of six nations too but they decided to count a game that normally shouldn’t have been counted towards it. That aside, it’s an upright tackle leading with his shoulder and he’s going up into the attacking player, very hard to avoid head contact tackling like that.
@Ciaran Kennedy: I was thinking 4 so he’d miss the two warm-ups and the 2 hardest pool games in Argentina and Japan. That would be fair, in my opinion. Absolutely shocking
@bee bop:
Utter Farce….
I have nothing against Owen Farrell… I know he goes high because it gives a chance of making dominate tackles…His attempts to hit the player right at the top end of the sternum… It is very effective and Irish players have commented how it make Farrell such a devastating tackler.
It is also HIGH RISK… Farrell is dancing with the devil at that height and if break it you have to get punished… Farrell is not going to change and World Rugby is giving him a pass AGAIN. Owen Farrell is going to be allowed to continue on until he severly hurts someone and World Rugby doesn’t care. An unknown player has to suck his dinner through a straw cause England wanted Owen Farrell in the RWC…
This is not an Owen Farrell problem but a World Rugby problem..
@Jack Dermody: a few years ago those tackles were perfectly legal. If he continues to not get punished for it and it helps his team, why would he change? Yes, the other player failed his HIA (does that definitely mean he was concussed by the way?). But he’s but Owen Farrell so he’s not so important. Side note I cannot wait to hear what BS Ugo Moyne is going to spout in his defence.
Bundee Aki did the crime and did the time!
Johnny Sexton did the crime and did the time!
Owen Farrell constantly does the crime and seldom does the time!
Wrong, Wrong, Wrong.
Wales should appeal this decision!
@Ollie Fitzpatrick: World Rugby has six days to appeal the decision as well I think. They’d better, if only that it sets a dangerous precedent for other players to appeal red cards.
What a fix
@Paddy Farrell: I agree he has only had the odd match day ban that was when he was playing for sarcens.
A part of me is thinking this is a joke article that wasn’t meant to be published… almost impossible to believe
That all folks – rugby is gone
Ridiculous but who’s surprised?
The committee have done a great job in undermining the bunker system as well by claiming the TMO with several minutes to check every angle, consider and consult has somehow got the decision completely wrong.
@Rochelle Hart: I have to agree with you Rochelle. The off field review had ten minutes to review the angles and made a rational decision. This panel now feels that it takes longer and that you need to interview the player and his legal team to come to a correct conclusion.
Daft and unreal and opens EVERY decision in the World Cup to this new criteria.
Knowing farrells history I had a feeling this would happen
I’m stunned. What does this say to parents who have a worry about their child’s participation!!
Of course…. The world has accrued for the idea that Farrell, a repeat offender for this type of tackle, would be spared a ban.
@SPQH:
In all fairness he has been repeatedly been left off as well
Correct decision. The player ran into him. Gas seeing Irish fans getting so upset about this when Sexton basically got off for repeatedly verbally hounding match officials after the Champions Cup final defeat.
@Aidan Farrell: He ran into him? Are you taking the piss?
@Aidan Farrell: rather than trying to decapitate a player every time he plays.
@Paddy Kennedy: judge the tree crashed into my car.
@Aidan Farrell: Are you for real??
Farrell admitted he committed foul play. Is he a liar too?
@Aidan Farrell:
I don’t think you know how tackling works… But I say you are just trolling..
@Aidan Farrell: “Aidan” eh? Sure it’s not Owen? Stevie Wonder could see that was reckless at best, shocking attempt at a tackle
@Art Vandelay: just aswell the independent disciplinary body decided he didn’t have a case to answer. A great player and looking forward to seeing him at the World Cup.
@Aidan Farrell: I presume you are just trying to stir it for the reactions. No one could be that wrong
It’s a red card and ban all day, very inconsistent from the panel – he stays high , no attempt to wrap and clearly leads with his shoulder
Lucky lucky boy!
Can’t believe this decision,surely the Welsh must appeal this travesty.It makes a total farce of the tackle laws lm just stunned
It’s cheating. There is an agenda.
@Karl Murray: yeah, sure.
Farrell has been doing this all of his career
@Anton phelan:
It his tackle style and far as World Rugby is concerned, it is good…
So now all the players can do it..
@Anton phelan: but…. But…. What about the tackle school! Wait…. A…. Minute does this prove that the tackle school week is as big a farce as everyone thought it was?
When you take all emotion and bias out of the equation, this decision makes sense.
It reminds me of the JGP citing for his tackle on Kieran Marmion. He was standing upright and passive, but a tackle by another player caused a sudden change in height and direction.
Farrells tackle is not as clear cut, but I can definitely see how an independent committee would have come to their conclusions – especially as they have access to more information and video footage than we do. I trust the process.
@Paul Ennis: the touch by George is minor to say the least and didn’t result in any height change. If you view the incident from behind the Welsh player it is even more clear cut. Farrell had lined up to lead with his shoulder and he isn’t passive in the tackle. Not one pundit (inc a number of ex England players) had called for a red card reversal. Very bad look for World Rugby just before the World Cup and not exactly a proof of concept for the bunker review system
Was thinking this would wind everyone up
@Will H: dishonesty winds the honest up!
Terrible decision…but this shows the difference in SH v NH interpretation rather than corruption. 3 Aussies think it’s part of the game and, based on previous punditry commentaries, seems SA & NZ would agree, whereas most of the NH (including most English fans/pundits) think it was red.
That is disgusting.. HIA failure too… That’s showing some duty of care to the Welch player..
Farrell obviously afraid to wrap and dip…
‘Late change of dynamics.’
…so he would have smacked him on the chin rather than the forehead then. Maybe I’m being dramatic, but I do struggle to see that the change of dynamics was enough to produce a significant drop in the ball carrier’s height. Maybe a smidge, but he was heading into a tackler who was barely flexing his hips at all.
It’s really difficult to understand the laws sometimes. There has been a huge drive to drop the tackle height, but then there are cases like this where a huge amount of weight is placed on mitigation. How can anyone really know how to coach this properly. I’d say it’s almost certain that red cards and suspensions will end up being very controversial, or even spoil the world cup at some stage.
Seams to be difficult to get banned for a big tournament, it really is a joke. I wouldn’t get to worked up about Farrell, Irish players have benefited in the past as well, appears the commission will do everything they can to have big name players play in the WC/6Nations/Lions tours. For the Scottish prop who got a shorter ban that just happens to end before WC @Ciaran Kennedy: asked what will happen next when theres less wiggle room, appears they will find a way not to ban them, and also not blame the bunker guy.
That’s the Bunker system undermined and scrapped before it gets up and running….
No surprise
Wow… that’s some joke. Just flabbergasted by how blatantly corrupt it is. There is not even an attempt to spin a light ban. Really makes me sick to my stomach to hear of this.
Stinks of favoritism, makes all the talk about protecting players appear like lip service and also completely undermines the Bunker set up. Disgusting!!!
Hope it comes back to bite the RFU right in their corrupt behinds.
Absolutely crazy decision undermines every ref our there,Akuma got 10 weeks last world cup
Great news for Argentina. England a much better team with Ford at outhalf, so they should be delighted with prospect of Borthwick picking Farrell at 10, Smith on bench, and Ford as a water boy
Yep, I initially thought in game time that unlikely it would be upgraded to red based on mitigation. Basham did alter significantly due to push from George. That said, tackle technique is hugely high risk. World rugby needs to change its laws to make it a red on basis that tackler has duty of care. Otherwise this will continue, even if accidental