Six Nations 2015: Sin-bin pair Finn Russell and Pascal Pape both facing further sanctions

France lock Pape was sin-binned after kneeing Heaslip during a ruck in Ireland's win

Scotland fly-half Finn Russell takes out his Welsh opposite number, Dan Biggar, during Sunday’s game at Murrayfield (Scotland fly-half Finn Russell takes out his Welsh opposite number, Dan Biggar, during Sunday’s game at Murrayfield)

The Six Nations citing commissioners were out in force on Monday, following a hard-fought weekend, with Scotland fly-half Finn Russell to be hauled into the dock for making a dangerous tackle against Wales. France lock Pascal Pape will join him for the knee to the back that could yet end Ireland No8 Jamie Heaslip’s participation in this year’s tournament.

Russell was sent to the sin bin for taking out his opposite number Dan Biggar while the Welshman was a long way from the terra firma of the Murrayfield pitch on Sunday. Russell’s case will be heard by a disciplinary committee later this week, who will decide if he can be involved in the match against Italy at Murrayfield on Saturday week.

Pape was also sin-binned after kneeing Heaslip during a ruck in Ireland’s win in Dublin. After watching the incident on video review, referee Wayne Barnes ruled the action was intentional but declined to hand the 34-year-old a red card. However, the citing commissioner feels there is further music to be faced.

The medical teams were as busy as the legal ones on Monday, with Scotland prop Jon Welsh’s Six Nations deemed over after it was revealed he fractured his hand in the defeat by Wales. The 28-year-old, who scored a late try at Murrayfield, will have surgery this week.

Prop Gordon Reid is “symptom free” despite being carried off after two minutes following a blow to the head, but doctors are treating the injury as concussion and the 27-year-old must observe the graduated return protocol. Reid also suffered a knee strain that was scanned on Monday and the seriousness of both conditions will determine how long he is out of action. Lock Richie Gray sustained an injury to his upper arm and will also have a scan.

Meanwhile, Leicester’s Welsh fly-half Owen Williams, who would have been looking in on the Six Nations with interest, faces up to nine months out after suffering a serious knee injury. A good second half to the season and Williams could have been challenging for a place in Wales’s World Cup squad, but those hopes will fade now.

It is also a blow for Leicester in their quest to reach this season’s Premiership play-offs. Leicester confirmed that the former Scarlets No 10 has undergone surgery on his anterior cruciate ligament after being hurt during Tigers’ LV Cup win over Cardiff Blues nine days ago.

Williams is Leicester’s top points-scorer this season and although he missed out on being picked for Wales’s Six Nations squad, he is a player coach Warren Gatland would have been watching closely.

“The full recovery period is usually about nine months,” Leicester rugby director Richard Cockerill said. “It’s massively disappointing for Owen and for the Tigers because he has been outstanding for us.”

(Natwest)

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