England suffer Farrell, Vunipola setback for World Cup

England captain Owen Farrell will miss the first two games of the Rugby World Cup after global governing body World Rugby won their appeal against the controversial decision to overturn his red card.

Farrell will be suspended for the Pool D matches against Argentina and Japan, with this month’s warm-up games against Ireland and Fiji also included in the four-match ban.

World Rugby had appealed against the decision of a disciplinary panel to downgrade Farrell’s red card to a yellow after his high tackle on Wales’ Taine Basham at Twickenham on August 12.

The original decision to downgrade Farrell’s punishment had triggered widespread criticism from across rugby.

The Saracens star’s shoulder-led challenge to Basham’s head caused the Wales flanker to fail a Head Injury Assessment.

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Farrell has been banned for dangerous tackling several times in the past and has finally been sanctioned for the latest to scar the flyhalf’s career.

Following a video hearing that lasted from early Tuesday morning into the evening, the Appeal Committee ruled that the disciplinary panel should have considered Farrell’s attempt to wrap his opponent in the tackle.

Vunipola ban

World Rugby’s guidelines state that mitigation does not apply for “always-illegal acts of foul play” and therefore Farrell should not have been cleared even if Basham’s body-dynamics had changed before contact was made, which was the initial reason for letting him off.

And in a fresh blow to England, Billy Vunipola was on Wednesday banned for the tournament opener after receiving a three-week suspension for his red card in a warm-up match against Ireland.

Vunipola was initially sent to the sin-bin for a dangerous tackle on Andrew Porter during Saturday’s 29-10 defeat in Dublin, but the offence was upgraded to a red by the bunker review system.

An independent disciplinary hearing reduced the entry-level ban of six weeks to three because of mitigating factors and Vunipola, the only No 8 in England’s World Cup squad, will have another week removed if he attends World Rugby’s ‘tackle school’.

The 30-year-old Saracens back-rower is now ruled out of England’s final warm-up fixture against Fiji at Twickenham on Saturday and their key tournament opener with Argentina in Marseille on September 9.

‘Always illegal’

The committee subsequently determined that no mitigation could be made for the tackle, which they said was “always illegal”, and handed Farrell the four-game ban.

“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,” a statement said on Tuesday.

“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.

“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.

“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.”

Crackdown on dangerous play

England’s opening World Cup game is against Argentina on September 9 in Marseille.

After also missing the Japan clash, Farrell can return for pool fixtures against Chile and Samoa, as well as any knockout stage games.

While the ban will be widely seen as the right outcome given rugby’s crackdown on dangerous play, England boss Steve Borthwick must now plan without his talisman.

George Ford is expected to start at fly-half against Argentina and Japan with Marcus Smith offering cover from the bench.

England could also lose another key player to suspension after Billy Vunipola was sent off for a dangerous tackle against Ireland on Saturday with the verdict from his hearing due on Wednesday.

Borthwick rounded on Farrell’s critics last week, stating that he was the victim of “personal attacks” on his “character”, but attack coach Richard Wigglesworth insisted the Lions playmaker had taken the furore in his stride.

“We have been publicly criticised and the stuff around it was rightly criticised,” said Wigglesworth, speaking on Tuesday before the appeal verdict was known.

“Owen is one of the strongest people you will meet and he has been excellent around the squad.

“He could not have handled it better and I’m sure that facing a similar situation not many people would have handled it like he did.

“He has had that through a lot of his career, and he is well versed in it being brought up around big games.”