England’s captain Owen Farrell has been dropped out of the squad for the upcoming warm-up game against Ireland.
Head-coach Steve Borthwick revealed that the decision is in relation to Farrell’s uncertainty around his ban.
The 31-year-old was sent off on Saturday, but later he was cleared to play. However, a further investigation by the World Rugby prohibited him once again.
The prolonged disciplinary actions have forced manager Borthwick to reconsider his options and ultimately leave Farrell out of the squad.
“In my original planning for the Summer Nations Series and as part of our Rugby World Cup preparation, Owen Farrell was due to be selected to play in this Saturday’s Test match in Dublin,” Borthwick said.
“However, in light of the fact that so much of Owen’s training and match preparation time this week has been significantly affected and interrupted by the disciplinary process, I have not selected him in the matchday 23. Owen will travel to Ireland with our full support.”