England captain Owen Farrell has been suspended for four weeks for high tackle

Owen Farrell has been suspended for four weeks for a dangerous attack but is available for the start of England’s Six Nations campaign next month.

Farrell was cited for a high shot at Gloucester’s Jack Clement during last Friday’s Premiership clash at Kingsholm after escaping on the field without punishment.

The Saracen No. 10 scored the decisive drop goal in Kingsholm. An RFU disciplinary committee ruled Farrell’s attack on Clement was worthy of a short-term suspension, which will come as a huge sigh of relief from New England head coach Steve Borthwick.

England star Owen Farrell has been banned for four weeks after being subpoenaed for a high tackle

Farrell’s suspension will be reduced from four to three weeks if he completes a World Rugby coaching intervention programme.

That means Saracens will miss games against Lyon, Edinburgh and Bristol. But his suspension ends in time for him to represent England against Scotland in Twickenham on February 4.

An RFU statement Wednesday morning said: “The case of Owen Farrell, Saracens, was heard by an independent Disciplinary Committee chaired by Philip Evans KC with Becky Essex and Mitch Read last night.

“Farrell was summoned to commit dangerous tackles after the game against Gloucester Rugby on Friday 6 January, in breach of World Rugby Law 9.13.

A disciplinary hearing was held on Tuesday to determine his high tackle on Jack Clement

‘Farrell accepted a foul but questioned that it had reached the red card threshold. However, the panel upheld the charges and Farrell received a four-game suspension. This will be reduced to a three week suspension if the player completes the World Rugby Coaching Intervention Programme.’

Farrell has previously been suspended twice for dangerous tackles. In 2020, he was banned for five weeks after being sent off for a “completely unacceptable” attack on then-Wasp fly-half Charlie Atkinson.

The fly-half was not penalized during the match between Saracens and Gloucester on January 6th

Borthwick will appoint his first England squad for the Six Nations since he succeeded Eddie Jones on January 16 and is sweating over the fitness of some key players.

Hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie (ankle) and flanker Tom Curry (hamstring) are both championship doubts, though another fly-half in Marcus Smith is close to a return.

Rugby sales manager Alex Sanderson confirmed on Wednesday that Curry is unlikely to face Scotland or Italy in the first two rounds but could be fit for Wales on February 25.