Youngs gets four-week ban for Rowlands punch

Tom Youngs will be suspended for Leicester Tigers until Tuesday March 24

Leicester Tigers’ Tom Youngs has been banned for four weeks after being charged for punching Wasps’ Will Rowlands during Saturday’s Premiership game.

The incident occurred in the 53rd minute of Tigers’ 18-9 win, with Rowlands reporting it to referee Karl Dickson but the Television Match Official unable to find the incident at the time.

However, Youngs was cited by independent citing commissioner Andy Blyth following the match and has since accepted the charge.

On the suspension, which will see him eligible to play again on Tuesday March 24, Independent panel chair Jeremy Summers said: “The player may have been reacting to an unintended contact with his body but the reaction was nevertheless uncalled for.

“The player accepted that it was one which let down the game with the dates of suspension taking into account a free weekend for Leicester Tigers on the 14/15 March.”