Scotland will be able to call on the services of Zander Fagerson for their World Cup opener against the Springboks, despite the tighthead prop being handed a three-game ban.
Fagerson was initially yellow-carded and then red carded on review for a dangerous charge at a breakdown during Scotland’s come-from-behind win over France at Murrayfield.
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Following a disciplinary hearing in front of an independent judicial committee on Tuesday, Fagerson was effectively handed a two-game suspension.
This will rule him out of Scotland’s final two warm-up games against France on Saturday and Georgia on August 26, but he could be free to face defending world champions South Africa on 10 September.
Fagerson was officially banned for three weeks, after his initial citing for charging was amended to “dangerous play in a ruck or maul”, which carries a lower sentence. He has been given the option to replace the last match by joining the “Coaching Intervention Programme” to work on his technique.
Photo: Paul ELLIS / AFP