VIDEO: 'I'll deal with the facts' - Farrell facing World Cup ban
REACTION: England captain Owen Farrell seems set to miss the start of the World Cup after being sent off in a 19-17 warm-up win over Wales at Twickenham on Saturday, although coach Steve Borthwick cautioned against pre-empting the disciplinary process.
Flyhalf Farrell’s yellow card for a shoulder-led tackle to the head of Wales replacement Taine Basham in the final quarter was soon upgraded to a red by the newly-introduced bunker review system.
And that left England down to 12 men following the yellow cards already shown to Ellis Genge and Freddie Steward.
Despite that handicap, and falling eight points behind, England still won after lock Maro Itoje was driven over for a converted try and replacement George Ford kicked a late penalty.
But any joy among England fans at their side’s resilience would have been offset by Farrell’s indiscipline and another lacklustre showing by their backs following last week’s 9-20 warm-up loss to Wales in Cardiff.
England could now be without Farrell for their World Cup opener against Argentina in Marseille on September 9, with the 31-year-old’s availability for the rest of the pool phase set to be decided at a disciplinary hearing on Tuesday.
A statement from the Test match organisers said: “Owen Farrell will attend an independent disciplinary hearing after he received a red card for an act of foul play contrary to Law 9.13: A player must not tackle an opponent early, late or dangerously.
“Dangerous tackling includes, but is not limited to, tackling or attempting to tackle an opponent above the line of the shoulders even if the tackle starts below the line of the shoulders.”
This Owen Farrell ‘tackle’ has a 6-week ban and a place on WR’s site as an example of a dangerous tackle written all over it… pic.twitter.com/U46FhioLsq
— Jared Wright (@jaredwright17) August 13, 2023
Any suspension would likely include 2019 losing finalists England’s remaining warm-up games against Ireland and Fiji.
Scotland’s Zander Fagerson is set to be available for his country’s World Cup opener after the prop effectively had a game knocked off his ban by agreeing to go to a World Rugby ‘tackle school’ following a red card for a high tackle on France’s Pierre Bourgarit last week.
However, that does not appear to be an option for Farrell.
It was only in January that Farrell had a ban reduced to three games for attending World Rugby’s coaching intervention programme – the official name for ‘tackle school’.
“I’ll wait and see what comes of the disciplinary process,” Borthwick told a post-match press conference.
“Right now it would be wrong for me to comment on an individual incident that would likely go through a disciplinary procedure. I’ll deal with the facts of the situation.”
Wales coach Warren Gatland said the officials had made the correct call in upgrading Farrell’s yellow card, with Basham failing a head injury assessment as a result of the tackle.
“It was the right decision on the day,” he said.
“Hopefully for Owen’s sake he doesn’t get too long a ban, you need someone like him in the game.”
The New Zealander added: “He’d be a big loss to England if he does have a lengthy ban. Given his previous I’m not too sure what’s going to happen with that, fingers crossed it’s not long for him.”
