Ellis Genge will attend tackle school in order to make himself available for the start of England’s World Cup preparations following a three-match ban for a dangerous tackle.
Genge was shown a yellow card in Bristol’s defeat by Sale on Friday for a tackle on his England teammate Tom Curry but was subsequently cited and handed a suspension. Genge can reduce his ban to two matches by completing World Rugby’s coaching intervention programme – known as “tackle school” – and has confirmed his intention to do so. That means he will miss Bristol’s final two matches of the season but will be free for England’s first World Cup warmup match on 5 August against Wales.
The 28-year-old prop was initially handed a six-week ban but was afforded the full 50% mitigation. The disciplinary panel said: “In light of his acceptance of the charge at the earliest opportunity, his apology to Tom Curry, and his previously good disciplinary record over a long career of over 150 top level matches and 40 international matches, the Panel were content to mitigate the suspension by the maximum 50%, reducing the suspension to a three-week suspension.”
Meanwhile, the Exeter director of rugby, Rob Baxter, has defended Jack Nowell after the winger was charged by the Rugby Football Union for criticising the referee Karl Dickson on social media. As revealed by the Guardian, Nowell could face a ban for tweeting that Dickson’s decision to show Olly Woodburn a second yellow card was “one of the worst I’ve ever seen”.
Baxter, however, insisted Nowell’s comments were not directed at Dickson and believes players should be free to debate decisions such as the Woodburn red card – correct in law but baffling to the casual observer.
“Jack hasn’t done it with any intention of criticising the referee at all. He has misworded it,” said Baxter. “All he has talked about is the decision. It hasn’t been directed at Karl Dickson, it has been directed at the game and been done in frustration at the laws of the game, rather than the referee. He has not gone after the referee at all. He has made a mistake. He knew very quickly he shouldn’t have done it, removed the post, and he will be the first person to apologise to Karl Dickson.
The England scrum-half Natasha Hunt will make her first appearance of the Women’s Six Nations against Ireland in Cork on Saturday. Hunt was a controversial omission from the Red Roses squad that reached the World Cup final last autumn on the grounds that her instinct to run was at odds with head coach Simon Middleton’s preference for a nine with consistent delivery.
But the 34-year-old Gloucester-Hartpury captain has dazzled in the Premier 15s this season and is rewarded with a start in the penultimate round of England’s title quest, with Lucy Packer dropping to the bench.
Hooker Connie Powell also makes her maiden appearance of the Six Nations, with a revamped front row completed by the selection of props Hannah Botterman and Maud Muir. Morwenna Talling and Helena Rowland are poised to make their first outings of the Championship after being picked on the bench.
England have secured a maximum 15-point haul from their three matches so far, including a 59-3 victory over Wales in round three.
“We were really pleased with the win in Wales in what was a difficult game. Our defence was outstanding,” Middleton said. “We go into this game knowing there are areas we need to improve on and we are determined to do that.” PA Media
England team: E Kildunne (Harlequins); A Dow (Harlequins), L Tuima (Harlequins), T Heard (Gloucester-Hartpury), C MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs); H Aitchison (Saracens), N Hunt (Gloucester-Hartpury); H Botterman (Saracens), C Powell (Gloucester-Hartpury), M Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury), Z Aldcroft (Gloucester Hartpury), S Beckett (Gloucester-Hartpury), S Kabeya (Loughborough Lightning), M Packer (Saracens, capt), A Matthews (Gloucester-Hartpury).
Replacements: L Davies (Bristol Bears), M Carson (Saracens), S Bern (Bristol Bears), D Burns (Bristol Bears), M Talling (Loughborough Lightning), L Packer (Harlequins), A Reed (Bristol Bears), H Rowland (Loughborough Lightning).
“It is good to have a debate on these things, and I know for a fact there is going to be some debate around the Olly Woodburn situation because refereeing departments higher up the chain are concerned with how do you referee that scenario.”
As revealed by the Guardian, England players will be given fresh social media guidance “in line with World Cup regulations” before the tournament in France and Baxter revealed he had reminded his players of the platform’s pitfalls. “With Jack’s charge, it came through as I was getting ready for a players’ meeting,” he added. “I said: ‘Just be careful, you know you need to be really careful on these things.’ That is all you can really say.”
