SYSTEM IS A JOKE... AND HEAPS RIDICULE ON RUGBY

OWEN FARRELL being cleared for the start of the Six Nations would be a fair outcome on the basis that he did not commit a grave offence — but the disciplinary process is an embarrassing farce. There has been a torrent of derision in relation to the verdict against Farrell and that is no surprise. The game’s judicial system is not fit for purpose. Farrell was deemed to have been reckless, but the panel found there was no intent to harm Gloucester’s Jack Clement. These are fair conclusions. The Saracens captain was fractionally too high as he dipped into the collision and caught his opponent’s chin rather than chest.

In this case, the panel’s assessment of the incident was largely sound — but the process of settling on a punishment is where it becomes murky. Farrell’s ban started at six weeks and will end up as three with an asterisk attached. The system of knocking off time for good conduct needs to be abandoned and the new option of a tackle awareness course should be added alongside any sanction. But the real farce lies in the decision about what constitutes a ‘meaningful’ match, to be included in the suspension.

There is no way Farrell would have been involved in the Premiership fixture against Bristol on January 28 — a week before the Six Nations game against Scotland. The panel concluded that they could not assume Farrell’s inclusion in the England squad. The procedural answer would be to say this weekend’s match is the first covered by the ban and the others would be confirmed after the squad announcement by Steve Borthwick on Monday. England’s rivals will suspect a stitch-up, to ensure Farrell is available to face Scotland. But the process that has led to the ruling against him is a joke and needs reform.