England captain Owen Farrell has been given a five-game ban following his red card for Saracens for a high tackle in Saturday’s 28-18 home defeat by Wasps.
The 28-year-old fly-half was sent off on 61 minutes by referee Christophe Ridley for his challenge on Wasps replacement full-back Charlie Atkinson.
He had accepted a charge of making a dangerous tackle.
Independent panel chair Mike Hamlin said: “This was a totally unacceptable contact with Charlie Atkinson.”
Hamlin added: “It had the consequences of him being knocked unconscious and sustaining a concussion.”
The panel had accepted that the tackle was “reckless and not intentional”.
Farrell will be free to captain England in their rearranged Six Nations match with Italy as well as the autumn tournament. He is free to play again on 5 October, with England facing Italy in Rome on 31 October.
Farrell will now miss matches including Sunday’s meeting between reigning Premiership champions Sarries and this season’s runaway leaders Exeter, as well as the European Champions Cup quarter-final against Leinster on 19 September.
