England centre to miss Bok clash
NEWS: Alex Lozowski has been ruled out of England’s opening Test in November against South Africa after the terms of his ban were altered, officials said Tuesday.
The Saracens centre was given a two-week ban for dangerous play at a ruck during the London club’s European Champions Cup win over Glasgow on October 13.
It was initially ruled that the 25-year-old would miss games against Lyon and in English rugby union’s Premiership Cup, a tournament mainly designed for emerging players, before becoming available again on October 29.
But following his selection in England coach Eddie Jones’s squad for the November internationals and the preceding pre-series training camp in Portugal, European Professional Club Rugby’s independent disciplinary review have adjusted his ban on the grounds Lozowski was unlikely to play in the Premiership Cup.
“Had the player not received a sanction, he would not in the normal course of events have been expected to play in the match against Leicester,” said an EPCR statement.
“It was concluded that in the context of Lozowski’s suspension, Saracens’ match against Leicester should not be regarded as one the player would have been expected to play in on account of his England selection.”
As a result, Lozowski will miss the Twickenham clash against the Springboks on November 3 but be available for the visit of world champions New Zealand the following week.
Agence France-Presse
