Owen Farrell slapped with 5-match ban

Owen Farrell of Saracens appeared before an online independent disciplinary panel on Tuesday following his red card in the 61st minute of the match between Saracens and Wasps on Saturday. This was for a dangerous tackle on Wasps’ Charlie Atkinson, contrary to World Rugby Law 9.13.

Farrell accepted the charge and was given a five-match suspension by the independent panel comprising Mike Hamlin (chair) with Gareth Graham and Leon Lloyd. 

Farrell will now miss Saracens' Champions Cup quarter-final against Leinster as well as Premiership fixtures against Sale, Exeter, Worcester and Bath. If the double winners pull off a shock by prevailing in Dublin, they will be missing their talisman for the semi-final a week later after he was told he can only resume playing from October 5.

Independent panel chair Mike Hamlin said: "It was accepted by the RFU, the player and the Panel that the offending was reckless and not intentional. This was a totally unacceptable contact with the neck/head of Charlie Atkinson as a result of a reckless tackle which had the consequences of him being knocked unconscious and sustaining a concussion. This resulted in the Panel concluding that this was a top-end offence with an entry point of ten matches. There were no aggravating features.

 
"Testimonials provided by Mark McCall, Eddie Jones and the founders of a charity with which the player works very closely were of the highest quality. The Panel concluded that applying the off-field mitigating factors, notwithstanding his suspension four and a half years ago, the player was entitled to a reduction from ten matches to five meaningful matches under RFU regulation 19.11.11. The player is free to play again on 5 October."

Speaking after the game on Saturday, Saracens' director of rugby Mark McCall admitted Farrell "got it wrong" and insists his side will cope without their star man.

"It is what it is," McCall said. "He could easily have been out of the Leinster came for another reason - injury or whatever.

"He missed the last quarter-final of the Champions Cup because his wife was having their first child.

"We have got plenty of good backs at the club so we will just rearrange our back line a little bit and get on with it."