Six Nations: Banned Finn Russell out of Italy game


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The 22-year-old was handed a three-week ban, reduced by a week for his clean record, after appearing before a disciplinary panel in London on Wednesday.
Russell avoided a lengthy ban as the Six Nations’ disciplinary officers judged his tackle on Dan Biggar in Sunday’s 26-23 defeat to Wales to be “reckless rather than deliberate”.
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Hide AdRussell collided with Biggar as his Wales counterpart leapt for a high ball during the first half of Scotland’s slender Murrayfield defeat.


Ospreys playmaker Biggar landed in a heap, but avoided serious injury and was able to continue.
New Zealand referee Glen Jackson sin-binned Russell, but a Six Nations disciplinary committee ruled the offence warranted a red card.
“The disciplinary committee decided that the offence was reckless rather than deliberate,” read a Six Nations statement.
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Hide Ad“The committee considered it at the lower end of World Rugby’s scale of seriousness, carrying a three-week suspension.
“It noted the absence of aggravating factors and the existence of certain mitigating factors, including the player’s clear disciplinary record, in applying a one-week reduction from the entry point.”
Scotland host Italy at Murrayfield in a third-round Six Nations tie on Saturday, February 28.
Russell will miss that clash, but will be available for the final two matches, against England and Ireland.
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