Rugby-England's Farrell has red card overturned

Rugby Union - England Training - Pennyhill Park, Bagshot, Britain - August 14, 2023 England's Owen Farrell during training Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge

LONDON (Reuters) -England captain Owen Farrell has avoided a suspension after his red card in Saturday's 19-17 win over Wales was surprisingly overturned on Tuesday after a hearing ruled that a late change of direction by the ball carrier contributed to the high contact.

Farrell was sent off - an initial yellow card upgraded to red via the new review system - after smashing his shoulder into the face of Wales forward Taine Basham in the sort of no-arms tackle that earned him a four-game ban earlier this season when playing for Saracens.