This rash play by Chris Ashton has cost him a place in the 2016 Six Nations.
The Saracens winger met with an independent judicial officer, in London, today and the outcome was righteous. Ashton was cited for making contact with the eye area of Luke Marshall in his side’s weekend win over Ulster.
Ashton was slapped with a 10-week ban and will now miss the entire championship with England. The 28-year-old was named in Eddie Jones’ England squad earlier this month.
The incident, which occurred 16 minutes into the Champions Cup pool game, was flagged by the touch judge. Marshall himself claimed his eyes had been raked.
The TMO viewed three angles of the incident but told referee Jerome Garces there was ‘nothing in it’.
Brian O’Driscoll and Lawrence Dallaglio, who were on commentary duty for BT Sport, felt Ashton neck rolled Marshall onto the deck.
In a statement from European Professional Club Rugby today, the decision was explained:
‘In upholding the citing complaint, the Judicial Officer found that Ashton had committed an act of foul play that warranted a red card. He determined that that offence was at the low end of World Rugby’s sanctions and selected 12 weeks as the appropriate entry point.
‘He added one week as a deterrent according to World Rugby’s memorandum regarding offences of this nature, before reducing the sanction by three weeks due to Ashton’s good character and good conduct at the hearing. He then imposed a suspension of 10 weeks.
‘Ashton is free to play on Monday, 28 March 2016.’
[Go to 17:55 in the video for replays of the incident].
