Zander Fagerson has had his four-week ban for receiving a red card during the Guinness Six Nations match between Scotland and Wales upheld by an independent appeal committee, although the matches covered by the period of suspension have been altered.
Scotland prop Fagerson was sent off in the 64th minute of the Round 2 clash at BT Murrayfield when he made contact with the head of Wyn Jones while clearing out a ruck.
An independent disciplinary committee subsequently issued a suspension of four weeks that meant he was to miss Scotland’s remaining three matches in the 2021 Guinness Six Nations – against France, Ireland and Italy – and one further match to be determined.
Fagerson opted to appeal a number of the disciplinary committee’s findings, including that his act of foul play had warranted a red card, that he had made ‘direct’ contact with Jones’ head, that the mitigating factors allowed him a reduction in his suspension of just two weeks and that the two Glasgow Warriors matches in the Guinness PRO14 (on the Guinness Six Nations fallow weeks) should not count towards his suspension.
The appeal committee upheld the initial ruling that his play warranted a red card and that the ban should be four weeks, although they overturned the decision not to include Glasgow’s PRO14 matches against Ulster and Zebre in the suspension.
That means Fagerson’s suspension now applies to Glasgow’s contests with Ulster on February 19 and Zebre on March 6, as well as the Guinness Six Nations Round 4 match against Ireland.
With Scotland’s Round 3 game against France having been postponed, the appeal committee will review the fourth game which the suspension will apply to.
