Molly Wright banned for three weeks

Molly Wright will miss the rest of the Women’s Six Nations after being banned for three weeks.

The Scotland hooker was sent off for a high tackle on Vickii Cornborough in the 64th minute of the 52-10 defeat by England in the opening round of the championship.

Wright appeared before an independent disciplinary committee charged with infringing Law 9.13  (Dangerous Tackle. A player must not tackle an opponent early, late or dangerously. Dangerous tackling includes, but is not limited to, tackling or attempting to tackle an opponent above the line of the shoulders even if the tackle starts below the line of the shoulders.).

She accepted that she had committed an act of foul play and that it warranted a red card, and the disciplinary committee determined that it was a mid-range offence with an entry point of a six-week ban.

Wright was given the maximum 50% mitigation as she accepted the charge, showed remorse and had a clean disciplinary record, so she has been banned for three weeks.

She will miss Scotland’s remaining two Six Nations matches against Italy on Saturday 17 April and their play-off final the following weekend. The final match of the ban will be determined when club fixtures resume in Scotland  – Wright plays for Watsonians – or another meaningful match is scheduled, whichever comes first.

The Women’s Six Nations continues this weekend with defending champions England travelling to Parma to play Italy. Wales, who lost 53-0 to France in their opening match, host Ireland in Cardiff in their second fixture.

The condensed format this year means each country plays two group matches before a finals day on 24 April when teams face the nation ranked in the same position in the opposite pool.

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