Saracens and England prop Mako Vunipola has been banned for four games following his red card in the
Newcastle in the Premiership match.
In Saturday’s 37-19 victory, the 32-year-old was dismissed for making a risky tackle on Falcons hooker Bryan Byrne.
Vunipola acknowledged foul play, but he said it was insufficient to warrant a red card.
Vunipola will return in time for the Six Nations after the punishment was imposed by an independent disciplinary panel that supported the sending off.
Vunipola will miss Saracens’ Premiership fixtures against Exeter Chiefs and Leicester Tigers in addition to their Investec Champions Cup meetings at home against Lyon and at Bordeaux-Begles.
He will be available, though, if chosen by head coach Steve Borthwick for England’s Six Nations opener against Italy in Rome on February 3. The three loosehead props in the England squad for the World Cup, Ellis Genge, Joe Marler, and Bevan Rodd, all out with injuries at the moment.
Due to his completion of the coaching intervention program in 2022, Vunipola was not allowed to participate, which may have resulted in his band being lowered by one game.
The attacker, who was born in New Zealand and began playing for Bristol, made his England debut in 2012 and has since accrued 71 caps. Having lived in Wales and England since he was seven years old, he qualified for the national squad.
