England prop Joe Marler has been handed a 10-week ban for grabbing the genitals of Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones during Sunday's Six Nations clash.
England Rugby announced Marler's punishment this morning, saying the front rower appeared before an independent disciplinary committe in Dublin overnight.
"Marler had been the subject of a citing complaint by the independent citing commissioner, Peter Ferguson, following the match between England and Wales on 7 March 2020 at Twickenham," England Rugby said in a statement.
"The citing complaint alleged that Marler had infringed Law 9.27 (acts against the spirit of good sportsmanship) when, in the first half of the match, he grabbed, twisted or squeezed the genitals of a Welsh player.
"The Harlequins prop accepted that he had committed an act of foul play, albeit that he did not accept that he had grabbed, twisted or squeezed the genitals of the Welsh player and he did not accept that it warranted a red card.
"The Disciplinary Committee heard evidence and submissions from Marler and his legal counsel, Richard Smith QC respectively (as well as from Six Nations’ legal representative).
"The Disciplinary Committee found that Marler had committed an act of foul play (an infringement of Law 9.27) and that it had warranted a red card, so the citing complaint was upheld.
"The Disciplinary Committee found that the act of foul play warranted a low-end entry point (12 weeks’ suspension) and reduced that by three weeks to take account of mitigating factors (including good character and remorse) but increased it by one week to take account of his most recent disciplinary record.
"Marler is therefore suspended for 10 weeks and, given his playing schedule, is free to resume playing on Monday, 8 June 2020. He was reminded of his right of appeal."
Marler wasn't the only Englishman punished from the 33-30 win though with Manu Tuilagi copping a four-week ban for his red card stemming from a dangerous tackle on George North late in the game.
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