Hugely talented Bath number eight Alfie Barbeary has been handed a three-match ban following his dangerous tackle at the weekend.
The 23-year-old was cited after being sent-off for two separate incidents during the Investec Champions Cup clash against Racing 92.
was handed two yellow cards, with the latter one, which took place with just a few minutes to go, leading to him receiving a red card.
The independent panel deemed that the should have been an immediate sending-off, but that the second incident, which saw him fend off Nolann Le Garrec with his elbow, was correctly punished with a yellow.
“The committee upheld the first citing complaint finding that Barbeary had tackled Spring in a dangerous manner, making contact with his neck area,” an EPCR statement read.
“It then decided that although Barbeary’s challenge on Le Garrec was an act of foul play and that the match officials were not wrong in issuing him with a yellow card, the player’s actions did not warrant a red card and the citing complaint was dismissed.”
Barbeary was handed a six-week suspension before the usual mitigation was applied, reducing it to three games.
Should he then go on World Rugby’s coaching intervention programme, it will go down to two matches.
As a result, the number eight will miss Bath’s next two encounters, against Toulouse in the Investec Champions Cup and Bristol Bears in the Premiership.
That makes him available for the A fixture against Portugal, although the disciplinary hearing , according to head coach
Barbeary was a notable absentee from the 34-man group that was announced ahead of the Six Nations, with Ben Earl the first choice number eight and Harlequins’ Alex Dombrandt receiving a recall.
“I rate Alfie very highly, and he knows that I have said that to him. We met a couple of weeks ago at a health food cafe in Bath and we had a good chat then, I spoke to him a week ago and yesterday and have been in regular contact with him,” Borthwick said on Wednesday.
“It is a competitive position, and I think he has done really well.
“The disciplinary hearing tonight is a factor; I want certainty around the squad going forward. He has had some injury setbacks and it has tested his character.
“I think he is going to feature in the England team in the near future. If he continues the way he is going I think he is going to have a big part to play for English Rugby.
“I was recalling when I was coaching Leicester at the time and we were playing against Wasps, we were looking to equal a record for consecutive wins and we lost that day and Alfie’s performance in the second half of that game was incredible.
“I remember being sat there watching it and thinking this guy, he is not in the England squad now, but he will be an England regular in the future.”
