Tom Curry has received a two-game suspension for his red card in England’s Rugby World Cup match against Argentina. The red card was given for a head-on-head high tackle on Juan Cruz Mallia. As a result, Curry will miss the upcoming matches against Japan and Chile in Pool D.
During Curry’s disciplinary hearing, he accepted that he committed a red card offence and his initial six-week suspension was mitigated down to three weeks and then two weeks. The RFU has confirmed that Curry will attend a Coaching Intervention Programme instead of missing a third match.
The independent Disciplinary Committee, chaired by Adam Casselden SC, noted that the offence carries a mandatory minimum mid-range sanction but reduced the sanction by 50% due to mitigating factors such as admitting foul play, correct red card decision, good character, and apologizing to the player.
Despite the suspension, England managed to secure a 27-10 victory over Argentina with the help of George Ford’s kicking. Curry’s red card follows similar incidents involving Owen Farrell and Billy Vunipola in previous matches.
Many spectators were surprised when Curry’s yellow card was upgraded to a red card, as there were other incidents involving head-on-head tackles that did not result in a card or citation. However, Curry’s ban is viewed as harsh given the circumstances of the incident.
Curry’s suspension will only affect matches against Japan and Chile, and he will be available for England’s final Pool D match against Samoa and the knockouts. In his absence, options such as Billy Vunipola, Ben Earl, Lewis Ludlam, and Jack Willis are available for selection.