Billy Vunipola ban comes in hot on the heels of Farrell decision

Billy Vunipola’s suspension for a high shot on Andrew Porter during England’s Rugby World Cup warm-up has been set at three Test matches; however, if Vunipola successfully completes World Rugby’s “Tackle School,” the suspension will be reduced to two matches.

Both Saturday’s game between England and Fiji and the country’s World Cup opener against Argentina will be missed by Vunipola. He will also miss England vs. Japan without the tackle school’s intervention.

In accordance with the independent disciplinary panel’s decision, Vunipola acknowledged that he had engaged in conduct that merited a dismissal.

“On that basis, the Committee used World Rugby’s mandatory minimum mid-range entry point for foul play resulting in contact with the head,” the official judgment continued. A six-week ban was the result, which served as the starting point.

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The committee decreased the six-week entry point by three weeks, resulting in a sentence of three weeks, after taking into account mitigating considerations such as the offender’s stellar prior record, his prompt apologies, and his expression of contrition.

Following an appeals procedure, Owen Farrell was given a two-game and two-warm-up ban from the Rugby World Cup (retroactively included last weekend’s game against Ireland).

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(AP) LONDON — With Billy Vunipola receiving a three-week suspension on Wednesday for a violent tackle, England now has two players suspended for the start of the rugby World Cup next month.

An impartial panel penalized Vunipola for his Sunday warm-up tackle on Ireland’s Andrew Porter in Dublin. On review, the punishment was changed from the sin bin to a red card.

The No. 8 will miss England’s pre-World Cup match against Fiji on Saturday in London as well as the tournament’s opening match against Argentina on September 9 in Marseille, France.

Last Saturday’s exhibition loss to Ireland in Dublin resulted in Vunipola’s dismissal for a high tackle on the prop Andrew Porter; the bunker review system elevated his initial yellow card to a red one. Following World Rugby’s appeal against the decision to overturn the red card he received for a high tackle in the previous match, a close victory against Wales at Twickenham, Owen Farrell, the captain of England, had already been given a four-game suspension.

Vunipola was given a three-match penalty, which could be lowered to two if he attended tackle school, following a disciplinary hearing on Tuesday. As a result, he is unable to participate in both England’s World Cup opening and last warm-up game against Fiji on Saturday. Nevertheless, the Saracens back-row will be allowed to play in the second pool game against Japan eight days after that.

A six-week suspension was the first penalty for Vunipola’s transgression, but the independent judicial committee lessened it. The six-week entrance point was lowered by three weeks after the committee “acknowledged mitigating considerations, including his exemplary prior record, swift regret and remorse, and noted the absence of any aggravating factors,” according to Six Nations Rugby.

Ireland’s Bundee Aki scores a try against England.

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Farrell’s forced absence from the pivotal games against Argentina and Japan, along with the loss of two of his most important players for the opening encounter, dealt head coach Steve Borthwick a major setback. Both will be available to play against Chile on September 23 and Samoa on October 7, but the first two games are crucial if England is to get to the quarterfinals.

The debate surrounding Farrell’s eventual penalty has put into question the legitimacy of rugby’s disciplinary processes, but that is the least of Borthwick’s issues. He is in charge of major disciplinary matters as well as a string of subpar performances.

Since taking over as head coach of the national side in December, the former second-row for England, Bath, and Saracens has a record of five losses in eight games, and concerns over England’s playing strategy are growing. Borthwick won the Premiership with Leicester last year with his kick-chase pressure system, but his current team has become monotonous and predictable.

The keywords clarity and cohesiveness are the Borthwick’s favorites. They cover the floor of his press conferences like crisp packets on the M1. The head coach of England may therefore consider Owen Farrell’s four-game suspension to be the worst possible outcome because it would complicate his already complicated World Cup preparations.

If Farrell had been found not guilty, he would have been swiftly reintegrated into the team for this week’s final exhibition game against Fiji, and Borthwick could have raised a glass to Richard Smith QC before putting this entire nasty incident behind them. a joyful clarity.

Billy Vunipola ban

Borthwick would have been forced to fire his captain if Farrell had received the maximum six-match suspension (excluding last week’s Ireland game), which would have kept him out of England’s pool-stage games and quarterfinal. Clarity that hurts.

Yet, four games—effectively three because it includes Ireland’s match from last week—create an unsightly compromise. In order to prepare for England’s two crucial pool matches against Argentina and Japan, Borthwick is forced to switch. To a different fly-half, most likely George Ford, and a different captain, most possibly Courtney Lawes. Then, Borthwick must make the difficult choice of supporting his original skipper or benching him.

Borthwick is fiercely devoted to Billy Vunipola, whose disciplinary hearing for his own red card. Will be decided on Wednesday morning. His confidence in the Saracens playmaker was demonstrated by his choice. To name Farrell the World Cup captain as early as June. So even though it seems impossible at the moment, what if England’s offensive strategy suddenly works without him? Does Borthwick’s dedication to fostering coherence trump his devotion to loyalty?

England’s captain Owen Farrell is shown a yellow card by referee. Nika Amashukeli, which is later changed to a red card.
The disciplinary hearings for Farrell have turned into a saga. David Rogers of Getty Images
Farrell was in Dublin last week and actively participated in the warm-up despite his suspension. Naturally, this demonstrates his altruistic dedication to supporting the squad. From a different angle, his presence may be seen as stifling for a temporary. Fly-half and captain who want to make the decisions in their own way.

Billy Vunipola ban

No matter what, the “white noise” that surrounds Farrell will keep buzzing nonstop, according to attack coach Richard Wigglesworth. Like it or not, there will be a large top at England’s training facility in Le. Touquet until Borthwick announces his team to face Chile on September 23 and beyond. Before the World Cup, Borthwick was desperate to prevent any sideshows or circuses.

It also puts pressure on Farrell, who, if we forget, started the whole squabble. To demonstrate that he is deserving of all the commotion. He possesses so many intangible traits, like charisma, leadership, and character. He must demonstrate that he is unquestionably the best fly-half rather than the best leader. If he wants to regain his position at No. 10.

At the very least, Borthwick’s selection of three fly-halves in his team. When other nations opted for two or, in South Africa’s case, one—has been vindicated. When releasing his 33-man team, Borthwick remarked, “In those critical areas. You need to have depth, three players who can play that position.” “With the number of cards given and HIAs [Head Injury Assessments], you need to have depth for those specialty positions.”

The disappointment that he never had the opportunity to put the Ford-Farrell partnership. Through its paces—which was anticipated for at least one warm-up game—balances out any prophetic pride he may feel. That is now unquestionably a no-go for the World Cup.

Despite England’s displeasure with the lengthy disciplinary procedure for. Farrell and World Rugby’s appeal against his first exoneration. This still needs to be seen as a win for rugby as a whole. After first dragging their feet, World Rugby responded to the serious problem. Facing the sport by enforcing frequently contentious and ambiguous disciplinary orders to limit high tackles. They therefore filed an appeal against Farrell’s initial pardon.