England pair Owen Farrell and Joe Marler hit with two-week bans - but will return for European finals
Both players were found guilty of foul play in their European semi-finals
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Your support makes all the difference.England internationals Owen Farrell and Joe Marler have received two-week bans after being cited for foul play during European semi-finals.
Saracens fly-half Farrell was suspended after being cited for a dangerous tackle on Wasps scrum-half Dan Robson during last Saturday's Champions Cup semi-final, while his fellow England Six Nations title and Grand Slam winner, Harlequins prop Marler, was cited for kicking Grenoble hooker Arnaud Heguy in a Challenge Cup semi-final five days ago.
Both players are sidelined until May 9, each missing two Aviva Premiership games, but both players will be available for European finals in Lyon next month and England's three-Test summer tour of Australia.
Tournament organisers European Professional Club Rugby said that an independent disciplinary committee heard evidence and submissions from Farrell - who did not accept that he committed an act of foul play - during a hearing in London on Wednesday.
"In upholding the citing complaint, the committee found that Farrell had committed an act of foul play that warranted a red card," EPCR said, in a statement.
"It determined that the offence was at the low end of World Rugby's sanctions, and selected two weeks as the appropriate entry point.
"The committee added one week to the sanction as a deterrent in line with World Rugby's memoranda regarding dangerous tackles, and then reduced the sanction by one week due to the player's clean disciplinary record, good character and excellent conduct at the hearing, before imposing a suspension of two weeks."
Farrell, 24, will miss Premiership appointments with Newcastle on Sunday and then Worcester six days later, but he will available for Saracens' Champions Cup final clash against French challengers Racing 92 on May 14.
Marler, meanwhile, was making his comeback appearance following a two-week suspension imposed for his "Gypsy boy" slur against Wales' Samson Lee in last month's RBS 6 Nations Championship game at Twickenham.
The ban means that Marler will miss Quins' remaining two regular season Premiership games against London Irish and Exeter, but he will be available for their Challenge Cup final appointment with Montpellier on May 13.
EPCR said that a disciplinary committee, sitting in London on Wednesday, disregarded Marler's earlier two-week suspension because it was "of an entirely different nature".
"A disciplinary committee consisting of Roger Morris (Wales), chairman, Simon Thomas (Wales) and Kathrine Mackie (Scotland) heard evidence and submissions from Marler, who accepted that he had committed an act of foul play but who did not accept that the foul play warranted a red card, and from Richard Smith QC on behalf of Marler," EPCR said.
"In upholding the citing complaint, the committee found that Marler had committed an act of foul play that warranted a red card. It determined that the offence was at the low end of World Rugby's sanctions and selected four weeks as the appropriate entry point.
"In deciding to disregard the player's recent suspension as it was of an entirely different nature, the committee then reduced the sanction by two weeks - 50 per cent of the entry point - before imposing a suspension of two weeks."
Speaking immediately after the semi-final, Quins rugby director Conor O'Shea said that Marler's action should not warrant a ban.
O'Shea told reporters: "It was not a boot, it was nowhere near a boot - it was a shin. Any test for a citing has to pass the red card test. Should he do it? No. Is it a red card? No."
Marler initially escaped censure for his taunts against prop Lee in England's 25-21 Six Nations victory over Wales at Twickenham on March 12.
Global governing body World Rugby later intervened and called a misconduct hearing, however, dissatisfied with the leniency of Six Nations and Rugby Football Union bosses. Marler admitted the charge and was banned for two matches and fined £20,000.
Wasps prop Simon McIntyre, meanwhile, has also received a two-week suspension after a hearing in London, EPCR said.
McIntyre was cited for kicking Saracens' England lock Maro Itoje during the Champions Cup semi-final four days ago, and is banned until May 9. He misses Premiership games against Exeter and London Irish.
PA
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