Rugby World Cup: England’s Captain Owen Farrell Fully Cleared from Suspension Threat
The flyhalf of England’s national rugby team, Owen Farrell, who was facing a potential six-week suspension after being sent off for a shoulder charge during Saturday’s match against Wales, has been given a lenient decision. Following in the footsteps of Irish player Jonathan Sexton, another flyhalf, Owen Farrell, the captain of England’s rugby team, will indeed be able to kick off the Rugby World Cup in France (September 8th to October 28th). This comes after a disciplinary committee overturned the red card he received against Wales on Saturday, August 15th.
Despite the potential danger of his shoulder tackle on Welsh player Taine Basham in the 63rd minute of England’s narrow victory (19-17), Farrell was at risk of a suspension of up to six weeks. The decision to send him off had been made by the “bunker,” a referee with the authority to review game footage from an isolated location during the match. However, a committee consisting of Australian officials ultimately overturned this decision.
Three-week suspension for a Scottish player for a similar action A similar action against the French team – a shoulder-to-head contact – resulted in Scottish player Zander Fagerson receiving a three-week suspension. However, the independent commission chose not to adhere to this precedent.
Various rugby figures, including Stade Toulousain’s center and Tonga player Pita Ahki, criticized this decision. “George Moala [Clermont and Tonga player] has a clean record but received a 10-match suspension for a dangerous tackle. And here, this guy has already received multiple red cards and gets off?” he tweeted.
As a result, Owen Farrell will be able to lead the England team in the upcoming preparation matches against Ireland (Saturday) and Fiji (August 26th). The English team will kick off their World Cup campaign against Argentina on September 9th in Group D, which also includes Japan, Chile, and Samoa.
