The England wing Anthony Watson is facing a possible ban for using offensive language after being sent off for a dangerous tackle during Bath’s game against Saracens last Friday week. Watson will attend a disciplinary hearing in Bristol on Tuesday evening to answer two charges arising from his sending-off in the bad-tempered Premiership fixture.
Watson, 22, had been hoping his dismissal for taking out Alex Goode in the air might have been deemed sufficient punishment but has now been hit with an additional charge relating to using “offensive, inappropriate and unprofessional” language towards the fourth official as he left the field. The minimum punishment for a dangerous tackle is two weeks while swearing at an official carries a minimum sanction of four weeks. The RFU has already launched an investigation after a Bath supporter entered the officials’ changing room following the home side’s 30-10 defeat.
Bath have four regular season games left but a lengthy ban could conceivably threaten Watson’s availability for England’s tour to Australia in June. He was ever present during England’s successful Six Nations campaign when his country secured their first grand slam since 2003.
Wales’s tour plans in New Zealand this summer have already suffered an untimely setback with Justin Tipuric having been ruled out of the remainder of the season with concussion and Leigh Halfpenny also looking poised to miss the rest of the campaign. Tipuric, who had been linked with a possible Olympic call-up to the GB Sevens squad, has not played since being forced off during his country’s 67-14 win over Italy three weeks ago and has now been advised to take three months off. The 27-year-old Halfpenny is still struggling with a knee problem and reports in France suggest he will not feature for Toulon again until next season.
England’s women will play Canada, France and the United States in Salt Lake City this summer. The matches will take place in early July and involve players not pursuing a place in the Great Britain squad for the Rio Olympics.
