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 12 August 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’.
The Appeal Committee agreed that last weekend’s World Cup warm-up game against Ireland, which Farrell voluntarily sat out, should be included as the first match of his four-match ban, ruling him out of England’s final tune-up against Fiji and their first two pool matches.
That’s shocking from Tipp. Why not play in the Munster Senior League against Limerick Clare Waterford Kerry and Cork give fellas realistic game time instead of meaningless friendly wins over depleted Mary I team. I might be wrong there might be something I don’t know.
It was a fundraising game but maybe they should have played it earlier in the year
Spot on. They had no interest in the Munster League, because they thought they would have meaningless matches. Guess what happened next!
Was that three McGrath brothers playing together? Liam, John and Noel? Also very promising to see Bill Maher from Kilsheelan-Kilcash, a traditionally footballing club, lining out.
Noel and john brothers,liam is a cousin.
Rubbish. The lunatics have finally taken over the asylum. What did he learn from this? How could you possibly gauge a players potential in a game like this’? You could have dragged 15 lads out of a pub, who would have put up a better show. They passed on the Munster Hurling League for this garbage? He wanted the month of January to himself. He could well be getting a whole lot more months, as this shower have no idea how to run a hurling team at elite level.What a moron. O’Shea was a romantic, and this guy is the ‘Terminator’ in a hurling form. The Tipperary County Board should be strung up, for appointing these idiots.
Oh lord I hope u dont follow tipp u moron.could do with out your like.