Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Banned Scotland prop Fagerson could have a part to play yet in the Six Nations

Scotland's Zander Fagerson is red-carded versus Wales in 2021 (Photo by Paul Devlin/SNS Group via Getty Images)

A decision has finally emerged from the Zander Fagerson appeal hearing that was held on Tuesday, Six Nations officials releasing a statement on Thursday afternoon that upheld the original decision surrounding the Scotland prop’s red card but admitting that matches for his club Glasgow last week and next week should count towards his four-game ban.

ADVERTISEMENT

When Fagerson’s suspension was announced last week following his sending-off for Scotland against Wales at Murrayfield on February 13, it was outlined that the front row’s four-game ban would cover his country’s three remaining Six Nations games and one club match once the Six Nations was over.

However, Fagerson’s appeal hearing agreed that Glasgow matches in the fallow weekends in the Six Nations – on February 19 versus Ulster and against Zebre on March 6 – should count towards his suspension, potentially freeing the prop to play for Scotland before the end of the season’s Six Nations tournament.

Video Spacer

Nigel Owens guests on the latest RugbyPass Offload with Simon Zebo and Ryan Wilson

Video Spacer

Nigel Owens guests on the latest RugbyPass Offload with Simon Zebo and Ryan Wilson

However, the situation surrounding which games Fagerson will now miss has since been complicated by the postponement on Thursday of this weekend’s France versus Scotland match in Paris.

The verdict from the appeal hearing read: “At Tuesday’s hearing, the appeal committee heard submissions from Fagerson and his legal counsel Bruce Caldow, as well as from the Six Nations legal representative.

“Fagerson challenged a number of the disciplinary committee’s findings, including that he had infringed law 9.20(a), that his act of foul play had warranted a red card, that he had made ‘direct’ contact with Wyn Jones’ head, that the mitigating factors allowed him a reduction in his suspension of just two weeks, and that the two Glasgow matches in the Guinness PRO14 (to be played on the fallow weekends in the Six Nations) should ‘count’ towards his suspension.

“The appeal committee were not satisfied that Fagerson had established that the disciplinary committee had been wrong in upholding the red card and therefore dismissed that part of the appeal. The appeal committee were also not persuaded that the disciplinary committee had been wrong in arriving at a suspension of four weeks. However, the appeal committee was satisfied that the disciplinary committee had not given appropriate weight to the evidence before it about the matches to be covered by the period of suspension.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Necessarily, decisions on matches to be covered by suspensions are fact-sensitive and player-specific. On the basis of all the evidence, the appeal committee was satisfied that the suspension should have covered the Glasgow matches against Ulster and Zebre, with the effect that the Fagerson suspension currently applies to the following matches:

  • February 19: Ulster
  • February 28: France (subsequently postponed)
  • March 6: Zebre
  • March 14: Ireland

“Due to the postponement of the France vs Scotland match, the appeal committee will have the opportunity to review Fagerson’s playing schedule and consider the consequences of the postponement.”

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

N
Nickers 20 minutes ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

I thought we made a lot of progress against that type of defence by the WC last year. Lots of direct running and punching holes rather than using width. Against that type of defence I think you have to be looking to kick on first phase when you have front foot ball which we did relatively successfully. We are playing a lot of rugby behind the gain line at the moment. They are looking for those little interchanges for soft shoulders and fast ball or off loads but it regularly turns into them battering away with slow ball and going backwards, then putting in a very rushed kick under huge pressure.


JB brought that dimension when he first moved into 12 a couple of years ago but he's definitely not been at his best this year. I don't know if it is because he is being asked to play a narrow role, or carrying a niggle or two, but he does not look confident to me. He had that clean break on the weekend and stood there like he was a prop who found himself in open space and didn't know what to do with the ball. He is still a good first phase ball carrier though, they use him a lot off the line out to set up fast clean ball, but I don't think anyone is particularly clear on what they are supposed to do at that point. He was used really successfully as a second playmaker last year but I don't think he's been at that role once this year. He is a triple threat player but playing a very 1 dimensional role at the moment. He and Reiko have been absolutely rock solid on defence which is why I don't think there will be too much experimentation or changes there.

41 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors Scott Robertson responds about handling errors
Search