Six Nations: Ban for tip tackle puts Bradley Davies out of Six Nations

Wales have lost Bradley Davies for the rest of the RBS Six Nations Championship after the second-row player landed a tournament-ending ban.

Cardiff Blues forward Davies, subject to any successful appeal, cannot play again until 26 March – nine days after the competition finishes. The punishment, which would have been considerably longer had it not been for various mitigating factors, follows his citing for a reckless tip-tackle on Ireland replacement Donncha Ryan during last Sunday’s Six Nations clash in Dublin.

Davies, 25, was reported by match commissioner, Italian Achille Reali, following the second-half incident at the Aviva Stadium. English referee Wayne Barnes brandished a yellow card on the recommendation of his assistant Dave Pearson but television replays revealed the full extent of Davies’ actions, which should have undoubtedly warranted a straight red.

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Even Wales coach Warren Gatland admitted that Davies was fortunate to avoid being sent off, so his suspension should come as no surprise to a Welsh camp currently preparing for next Sunday’s Six Nations appointment with Scotland in Cardiff.

Gatland will announce his team to face Scotland this afternoon, with former captain and back-row regular Ryan Jones widely expected to take Davies’ number four shirt. A three-man disciplinary panel decided that Davies’ offence merited a top-end entry point of a 10-week ban, with an additional two weeks applied for this type of foul play.

But mitigating factors – Davies’ guilty plea, his previously good disciplinary record and his conduct at the hearing – saw a maximum reduction to the punishment of five weeks imposed.

The Six Nations disciplinary committee, chaired by Antony Davies (England) along with John Doubleday (England) and Jean-Noel Couraud (France), considered the citing report, television footage and listened to Davies’ explanation.

In a statement, the Six Nations said: “They (the committee) found that the incident in which the player lifted his opponent beyond a horizontal position but did not bring him to the ground safely contrary to Law 10.4(j) and the IRB’s (International Rugby Board’s) particular emphasis on this aspect of the game, merited a top end entry to the IRB’s table of sanctions. The committee applied an additional two weeks to the entry point of 10 weeks to reflect the need for a deterrent for this type of foul play.

“But, in mitigation, took account of various factors in the player’s favour, including his admission of guilt, his previous good disciplinary record and his conduct at the hearing in allowing the maximum possible reduction of five weeks.

“Bradley Davies can resume playing on 26 March 2012, and has the right of appeal.”

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