England starlet hit with hefty ban after leaving young Scot needing stitches in ugly incident

England Under-20 player George Timmins has been banned for five matches after an ugly incident against Scotland in the World Rugby U20 Championship in Italy which left Scots prop Ollie Blyth-Lafferty needing stitches.

The Bath flanker, who was sent off in the match in Verona, will now miss the remainder of the tournament.

Blyth-Lafferty was lying prone on the turf when Timmins brought his elbow down into the face of the Edinburgh player. Blyth-Lafferty had to go off for treatment on his wound but was able to return after receiving stitches.

England U20 player George Timmins has been suspended. | Getty Images

An Independent Foul Play Review Committee (FPRC) was convened to consider sanctions and decided on a five-match suspension after determining Timmins’ actions to be contrary to Law 9.12 (striking with the elbow). The sanction has been accepted by the player.

A statement from World Rugby said: “The FPRC decided that the correct entry point for the offending was top end. In reaching their decision, the Committee considered, amongst other factors, the deliberate actions of the player, the vulnerable position of the victim player on the ground, and the victim player suffering an injury to his face which required stitches.”

Timmins will miss England’s remaining pool stage matches at the tournament, against South Africa and Australia, and two further play-off games against opponents yet to be determined. In addition, the back-row forward will also be suspended for a Bath pre-season friendly which was revealed to be at home to Glasgow on September 6.

Despite playing for most of the second half with 14 men, England U20 still beat their Scotland counterparts 56-19 in the opening match in Pool A. Kenny Murray, the Scotland coach, is hopeful Blyth-Lafferty will be fit for Scotland’s next match, against Australia in Viadana on Friday.

Scotland's Ollie Blyth-Lafferty had to go off for stitches during the World Rugby U20 Championship match with England. | SNS Group / SRU

“He's got some stitches just underneath his eye,” Murray said after the match. “Hopefully we can get him through into the next game. It doesn't look like anything too major to be honest.”

World Rugby also announced that Randall Baker of New Zealand U20 had been suspended for three matches after being cited for a dangerous clear out against U20 in Calvisano.