England captain Owen Farrell is free to face Ireland on Saturday after his red card against Wales was not upheld by a disciplinary hearing.
Farrell was sent off in a 19-17 World Cup warm-up win at Twickenham on Saturday when his yellow card for a dangerous tackle on Taine Basham was upgraded to a red by the 'Bunker' review system.
But the hearing decided that a "late change in dynamics" due to Jamie George’s involvement in the contact area "brought about a sudden and significant change in direction from the ball carrier".
Using this mitigation, it was decided by the all-Australian panel that Farrell – who was expected to face a mid-range sanction of a six-week suspension – should have been sanctioned with a sin-binning only.
England had feared he would miss the pivotal opening World Cup group clash with Argentina in Marseille on 9 September but Farrell could now line out against his father Andy's Ireland side at the Aviva Stadium this weekend.
Farrell has been suspended for a total of 11 matches for dangerous tackles spanning three incidents.
The most recent of those was an illegal challenge on Gloucester's Jack Clement in January, which was reduced from four to three games after England’s fly-half completed tackle school, enabling him to face Scotland in the Six Nations opener.
The decision to overturn the red card is sure to anger anti-concussion campaigners, among them former Wales international Alix Popham, who described it as a "shocking challenge".
Progressive Rugby, which campaigns for better protection of rugby union players, issued a statement condemning the decision.
"Today’s astounding decision to overturn the red card given to Owen Farrell for his tackle on Taine Basham has made a mockery of World Rugby’s claim that player welfare is the game’s number one priority," the statement read.
"Additionally, despite protestations in the judgement to the contrary, it has critically undermined the newly introduced bunker process before a global tournament and eroded confidence in the game’s judicial process which is meant to help protect those playing the game."
Meanwhile, Ireland's World Cup Group B opponents South Africa have received a timely boost ahead of after captain Siya Kolisi was named in their starting XV for the warm-up fixture against Wales in Cardiff on Saturday, his first appearance for the team this year.
Flanker Kolisi had been a major doubt ahead of the tournament in France after suffering a serious knee injury in April.But along with replacement prop Ox Nche, who also returns from a spell on the sidelines for a first game in 2023, Kolisi will get the opportunity for much-needed game-time.
The Boks also have a final warm-up fixture against New Zealand in London before they tackle Scotland on 10 September.
Watch Ireland v England in the Summer Nations Series on Saturday from 4.45pm live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, follow a live blog on RTÉ.ie/Sport and the RTÉ News app or listen to live commentary on RTÉ Radio 1's Saturday Sport
