France’s Ntamack to miss England game after red card

Men’s Six Nations: England v France

Date: Saturday, 8 February Kick-off: 16: 45 GMT Venue: Allianz Stadium, Twickenham

Romain Ntamack will miss France’s Six Nations game against England on Saturday due to suspension.

In the final minutes of France’s 43-0 victory over Wales in Paris on January 31 the fly-half was sent off for a risky tackle on Ben Thomas.

At a disciplinary hearing on Wednesday, Ntamack received a ban of three weeks/matches. However, that sanction may be reduced to two weeks/matches if the 25-year-old completes World Rugby’s Coaching Intervention Programme.

Ntamack’s availability for a return to action will be confirmed in due course.

The disciplinary panel determined that Ntamack’s foul play should be considered for the mid-range entry point of a six-week/match suspension.

That punishment was reduced by 50% after taking into account his guilty plea and previous disciplinary history.

Ntamack was playing against Wales for his first international appearance in more than a year.

The Toulouse star missed last year’s Six Nations and the Rugby World Cup in 2023 due to a severe knee injury, and he also missed his country’s autumn internationals due to a calf issue.