Tom Willis has helped Luke Cowan-Dickie escape a ban for a high tackle, thus freeing the hooker up for England duty.
Cowan-Dickie, the Sale Sharks hooker, was cleared of any extra sanction for the hit on Willis during his side’s 65-14 defeat by Saracens on Saturday. He is therefore free to play immediately, starting with Saturday’s away match against Leicester Tigers in the Gallagher Prem, and will also be available for England’s autumn internationals.
Willis, the Saracens No8, will not be part of England’s squad for the November Tests against Australia, Fiji, New Zealand and Argentina after he decided to sign for the French club Bordeaux Bègles next season. As The Times revealed, the 26-year-old will still receive his £160,000 payment from the RFU for the season — as one of 25 centrally contracted England players — despite the fact that the head coach, Steve Borthwick, is now refusing to pick him.
Willis has, however, done Borthwick a favour by supporting Cowan-Dickie, 32, at his disciplinary hearing on Tuesday. Cowan-Dickie was shown a 20-minute red card when he hit Willis high while trying to stop him scoring. He was not shown a full red card, as it was not conclusive that he had struck Willis in the head.
Willis, who will be joining Bordeaux next season, has done Borthwick a favour despite being ruled ineligible for England duty
BOB BRADFORD/GETTY IMAGES
The disciplinary panel heard from both Cowan-Dickie and Willis, and the Saracens player said he was not hit in the head. Alex Sanderson, the Sale director of rugby, revealed as much on Saturday night after the game.
“Tom Willis said, ‘You didn’t hit me on the head,’ and Luke’s like, ‘I can’t believe it’,” Sanderson said. “This is a new process, the 20-minute red card, and I’m sure the TMO saw what he saw and made a decision on the back of his analysis. I hope that’s the key because I want him to play for England. I don’t want him to get banned and miss out on Leicester next week and England the week after.”
Confirming that Cowan-Dickie had avoided a ban, the RFU disciplinary panel said: “The panel convened to hear the case and, after careful deliberation, has decided to overturn the red card issued to Cowan-Dickie. The panel had the advantage of hearing oral testimony from both players involved in the incident. Additionally, they reviewed video footage from various angles and considered submissions from all parties concerned.”
Cowan-Dickie is one of three hookers in Borthwick’s squad, alongside Jamie George and Theo Dan, and is the frontrunner to start in the No2 shirt this autumn having been part of the British & Irish Lions tour to Australia in the summer.