The Daily Observer London Desk: Reporter- Judith Benjamin
A rugby player welfare group has slammed the decision to overturn the red card given to England captain Owen Farrell for a high tackle against Wales on Saturday.
The No 10 was sent off for a high shot on Wales flanker Taine Basham at Twickenham and was expected to receive a long ban which would include missing the start of the World Cup, which begins next month.
However, in news that has shocked the rugby world, Farrell – who has previously served three bans for dangerous tackling – is now free to play at the tournament following the decision of a disciplinary panel to rescind his red card after the 31-year-old contested it in a video hearing on Tuesday.
Represented by Richard Smith KC, mitigation was found on the basis that Basham was pushed into Farrell’s path by hooker Jamie George.
And Progressive Rugby, which is a player welfare group comprising expert medics, elite players, academics and coaches who are keen to protect rugby’s long-term future, hit out at the resolution of the panel and slammed World Rugby’s position on the issue.
The decision of a disciplinary panel to clear Owen Farrell after his red card has been slammed
Farrell was sent off for a high tackle on Taine Basham during England’s 19-17 win over Wales
In a statement on Twitter, Professor John Fairclough, who is part of the group, said: ‘Today’s astounding decision to overturn the red card given to Owen Farrell for his tackle on Taine Basham has made a mockery of World Rugby’s claim that player welfare is the game’s number one priority.
‘Additionally, despite protestations in the judgement to the contrary, it has critically undermined the newly introduced bunker process before a global tournament and eroded confidence in the game’s judicial process which is meant to help protect those playing the game.’
Meanwhile, Alix Popham, a former Wales international, who has been diagnosed with early onset dementia and probable Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) after taking blows to the head during his rugby career, also criticised the decision.
Popham now works with Progressive Rugby and Head for Change to improve welfare in the game.
He said: ‘The decision is an absolute joke and shows that player welfare is definitely not World Rugby’s No 1 priority. It’s shocking. I can’t get over it.’
Farrell’s team-mate George Ford admitted on BBC 5 Live that Farrell had ‘got away’ with the decision, before quickly correcting himself.
When questioned on the panel’s outcome, he said: ‘Yeah it’s great for us in terms of having our captain and leader back in and obviously getting away with… obviously going through the process and cracking on as normal.’
Farrell had initially been shown a yellow card for his high hit on Basham, before rugby’s new bunker review system upgraded it to red after reviewing the incident.
He is now free to play immediately, with the bunker review decision overturned, meaning he can feature in this weekend’s World Cup warm-up game against Ireland and in the tournament in France.
After Farrell’s case was heard by an all Australian panel, the disciplinary statement read: ‘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 No 2’s interaction in the contact area brought about a sudden and significant change in direction from the ball carrier.
Former Wales star Alix Popham (pictured in 2007) labelled the decision a ‘joke’ and ‘shocking’
Farrell’s team-mate George Ford admitted he had got away with one, before correcting himself
‘In the Committee’s opinion, this mitigation was sufficient to bring the player’s act of foul play below the red card threshold.’
The outcome is a major boost to England’s World Cup plans after a stuttering start to the Steve Borthwick era.
The statement on Farrell also defended the role of the disciplinary process.
It read: ‘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
