Healey hit with three-week ban

Austin Healey was today banned for three weeks for kicking an opponent but he will be available for England's opening Six Nations clash with Scotland at Murrayfield on 2 February.

Healey was named in the England squad today for the Scotland match but his place was dependent on the outcome of his hearing which followed an incident in Leicester's recent game against Sale.

England will now turn to Healey to solve the scrum-half crisis caused by an injury to Matt Dawson, but he cannot play for his club again until 24 January which means he misses the Heineken Cup match with Llanelli on Saturday and the Powergen Cup quarter-final with Harlequins a week later.

Tribunal chairman Jeff Blackett said: "The published norm for kicking is six weeks but we took the view that this incident was somewhere between a kick and a trip and there was no injury caused." Leicester have already banned Healey for two weeks and fined him £1,000.

Northampton's Scotland prop Matt Stewart was reprimanded for punching and using the knee against London Irish, and Sale captain Alex Sanderson was reprimanded for spitting in the match with Leicester and ordered to pay £200 costs.

The RFU panel will also rule on the double sending-off of Gloucester's French hooker, Olivier Azam, and Newcastle flanker Epi Taione, who were dismissed for fighting during the clubs' controversial Premiership game 11 days ago.

Woodward brings in two new faces
The England squad
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