Ladies and Gentlemen, place your bets please

[InBetweenWasp]

Interested to see what people think the ban will be for Farrell

[NellyWellyWaspy]

I want it to be more, but he will get 6 games less 50% off.

[InBetweenWasp]

I want it to be more, but he will get 6 games less 50% off.

I'm thinking it'll be 12 weeks (but flipped to games) and he'll serve a 6-game ban for admission of guilt and remorse.  There's no mitigating factors.

[RBB]

+1 on 3 matches, the RFU will be focused on England and not sending a message that the challenge on Charlie was wholly unacceptable, unnecessary, potentially career-ending, and of course dangerous. I wonder what their views would be if it were NOT the England captain, somewhat different I suspect. I am happy to be proven wrong but agree that it will be 3 matches.

[wasps]

If nothing else, it'll show whether we're a cynical lot or a bunch of realists


I've gone for 0-3

[Rossm]

I expect him to be back in time to play for England but probably not before. Don't know how many games/weeks that is.

[wasps]

Have there ever been bans longer than 5 or 6 weeks for a high tackle, no matter how serious ?

I can't even find many references to very long bans for tip / spear tackles.


I don't see him getting anything more than 6 weeks... And even then it'll be reduced

[Neils]

Three or less. I think the sod will get away with it. Hope I am proved wrong and the RFU is serious about stamping this out.

[Hymenoptera]

1 week halved

[westwaleswasp]

Gone for 7 plus.
Wishful thinking maybe, but that was a potentially career ending tackle and then some, and it looked like he was frustrated, with time to change options. So I think slightly higher than the majority here, because I want to believe the RFU are serious about this.

[wasps]

Is there any precedence for longer bans?

If not, then they'll be setting precedence with the current England captain.


While that may be what we want, I just can't see it happening.
It's always hard to set a new precedent, and I just can't see anyone wanting the awkwardness that may come from penalising the England captain more harshly then anyone has been done before

[WonkyWasp]

I've gone for 4 - 6  confidently expecting a great deal less (smacked  hand) but hoping for a great deal more. 

[matelot22]

He's a dahling of the ah eff you, I think just 3 weeks too, but sincerely hope I'm wrong.

[HDAWG]

 I think he'll get only 3 game match ban. But he absolutely deserves way more.

[mike909]

I think he'll get a slap on the wrist - so 3 weeks tops

If there was a prosecuting lawyer - they would mention that the assault was not an error in technique (or whatever other excuse that EA's suggest was the case) but carried out without any attempt to make a legal tackle, from a player who could see his target from many many metres away and so it must be presumed, meant to assault the player in that manner.

I would hope such a prosecutor might mention a track record of similar tackles (Dan R and A Watson spring to mind) and that such conduct needs to be discouraged as a serious H&S matter

Of course - Farrell was sorry (because he knew he's get banned) and play acting remorse is a tactic aimed at getting as low a penalty as possible.

And he's England Capt ffs.....