Joe Marler banned for three weeks and will miss England games against Argentina and Australia

Harlequins prop suspended for striking Wasps lock Will Rowlands with his arm

Joe Marler has been banned for three weeks for striking Wasps' Will Rowlands (Getty)

Joe Marler has been banned for three weeks, meaning he will miss England’s first two autumn internationals against Argentina and Australia.

The England international was cited after being shown a yellow card for hitting lock Will Rowlands with his elbow during Harlequins’ 41-10 defeat by Wasps last Sunday, and while an independent panel deemed that he actually hit the second-row with his arm, it was still an action worthy of a red card.

Appearing at a disciplinary hearing in London on Wednesday, Marler pleaded guilty to the charge. The independent panel, which was made up of chairman Jeremy Summers (England), Rhian Williams (Wales) and Frank Hadden (Scotland), decided that Marler had not used his elbow in striking Rowlands – who on Tuesday was given a warning by European Professional Rugby Club for holding Marler by the leg in the same incident – but that the prop’s actions still warranted further action.

“The committee upheld the citing complaint and determined that the offence had warranted a red card, but decided after consideration that the strike by the player was with the arm rather than the elbow,” an EPRC statement read.

Marler’s actions were deemed to be of a mid-range level, which has an entry point of four weeks, but due to his guilty plea and a genuine show of remorse, a week was taken off the suspension. However, the panel did take into account England’s schedule over the next month, and implemented the ban to run until Sunday 19 November to ensure he misses three matches.

The ban rules Marler out of this weekend’s Premiership visit of Worcester Warriors to the Twickenham Stoop, as well as England’s first two autumn internationals against the Pumas and Wallabies, although he will be eligible to return ahead of the final autumn international against Samoa.

It remains to be seen if England head coach Eddie Jones keeps Marler in his England squad – which will be named on Thursday morning – given that he will be unavailable for the majority of the autumn programme.