Sam Underhill to miss Bath's treble tilt after four-match ban

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5 days ago

Sam Underhill was shown a yellow card after making head-on-head contact with Davit Niniashvili during Bath's Challenge Cup victory over Lyon - Premier Sports
Sam Underhill will miss the end of the Premiership season and Bath's tilt at a historic treble after receiving a four-match ban for a dangerous tackle in the Challenge Cup final victory over Lyon.
The England flanker, who has been in fine form since returning from injury and suspension, was cited after receiving a yellow card from referee Hollie Davidson for his head-on-head collision with Lyon full-back Davit Niniashvili in the first half of the 37-12 victory in Cardiff.
In a hearing on Tuesday, the 28-year-old accepted that he had committed an act of foul play but denied that it met the red-card threshold.
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The disciplinary panel disagreed, concluding that Underhill had tackled Niniashvili in a 'dangerous manner' and that the collision warranted a red card.
The panel adjudged that the offence was at the mid-range of World Rugby's sanctions and that a six-week ban was the appropriate entry point.
Two weeks were removed for Underhill's remorse and foul-play acceptance but due to his prior disciplinary record – this is his second ban this season for a dangerous tackle – there was no further mitigation and the final suspension stands at four weeks.
European Professional Club Rugby added in its statement that 'the date when Underhill can return to play will be determined once his future playing schedule is confirmed'.
Still available for England and Lions
While the ban precludes Underhill from any involvement in Bath's hopes of lifting a first Premiership title in 29 years, the flanker could still feature in all of England's Tests against Argentina and the USA this summer and, even, Lions matches in the event of a late call-up.
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Underhill will certainly miss Bath's trip to Saracens this weekend and their Premiership semi-final at the Rec six days later. Should Bath reach the final, then that would act as the third match of Underhill's ban.
An England XV face a France XV at Twickenham a week later and the flanker, technically, will be eligible to play in that match and Telegraph Sport understands that the Rugby Football Union are expecting that to be included in any ban, as the fourth match, so long as Bath reach the Premiership final.
If Bath lose their home semi-final on Friday June 6 then the first Test against Argentina in La Plata on July 5 will be included in Underhill's ban no matter what.
The West Country side have already won the Premiership Rugby Cup as well as the European Challenge Cup.
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Although Bath are not short of quality back-rowers, Underhill's absence will still be keenly felt. Ted Hill and Miles Reid started alongside the flanker on the back row in the victory over Lyon, with Guy Pepper coming off the bench.
Underhill missed all of England's Six Nations campaign owing to injury but has returned in characteristic form, earning the player-of-the-match award as Bath defeated Edinburgh in the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup in the Scottish capital.
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