Daly hit with three-week ban for 'reckless' tackle

Mon, Nov 28, 2016, 5:53 PM
AFP
by AFP
Elliot Daly has been suspended for three weeks. Photo: Getty images
Elliot Daly has been suspended for three weeks. Photo: Getty images

England back Elliot Daly was given a three-week ban Monday after being sent off for what officials deemed a "reckless" tackle on Argentina's Leonardo Senatore at Twickenham last weekend.

The match, which England eventually won 27-14 despite being down to 14 men for the bulk of Saturday's clash, was just five minutes old when Daly was shown a red card by French referee Pascal Gauzere for taking out Senatore when the Pumas No 8 was in mid-air.

Daly, best known as a centre but playing on the wing when he was sent off, will miss England's final international of 2016, against Australia at Twickenham this coming Saturday, and English club Wasps' European Champions Cup double-header against Irish side Connacht.

Elliot Daly was red carded against Argentina. Photo: Getty ImagesThe 24-year-old Daly told a disciplinary hearing on Monday that he deserved a red card and the three-strong panel took that into account as a mitigating factor when halving what would have been a six-week suspension into a three-week ban.

"The disciplinary committee found that Mr Daly had acted recklessly and that the offending merited a mid-range entry point based on World Rugby's scale of seriousness, which carries a six-week playing suspension," said an Autumn International Disciplinary statement.

"The disciplinary committee further found that there were no aggravating factors and that there were a number of mitigating factors (including Mr Daly's acknowledgement of wrongdoing, expression of remorse to the injured 

player and his good conduct at the hearing) such that his playing suspension be reduced by three weeks.

"Mr Daly is therefore suspended from playing rugby for a total of three weeks, up to and including Sunday 18 December 2016."

Daly was just the fifth England player in history to be shown a red card in a Test match and the first since flanker Lewis Moody against Samoa in 2005.

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