England wing cleared to play in play-off after red card rescinded

NEWS: Leicester wing Chris Ashton has been cleared for Sunday’s English Premiership semifinal against Sale after he successfully had a red card overturned by a disciplinary hearing.

The star was sent off for a high tackle on Harlequins’ Cadan Murley during Leicester’s 17-20 defeat on the final day of the regular season.

The 36-year-old, who holds the Premiership’s try-scoring record with 101, is set to retire at the end of the campaign.

If the suspension had been upheld, his hopes of featuring in a potential Premiership final at Twickenham on May 27 would have been over.

But an independent disciplinary panel hearing, which lasted five hours on Thursday, agreed to reduce Ashton’s punishment to a yellow card.

“The panel agreed with the submission that this was a yellow card offence,” chair Gareth Graham said.

“Therefore, the panel found the charge not proven. Mr Ashton is thereby able to play with immediate effect.”