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Owen Farrell red card set to limit World Cup participation
By Ian Cameron
England captain Owen Farell is almost certain to miss England's Rugby World Cup opener against Argentina in Marseille in four weeks' time.
In a disastrous moment for Steve Borthwick's England, a head-high shoulder shot on Wales replacement row Taine Basham in the 62nd minute was sent for a Bunker review by referee Nika Amashukeli and it was duly upgraded to a red.
It means that with a likely three-game ban, Farrell will miss England's game warm-up games against Fiji and Ireland, and then their Rugby World Cup opener against Los Pumas.
To make matters worse, Farrell joined Ellis Genge and Freddie Steward in the sin-bin as England went down to just 12 men for a period. Steward had been carded for a reckless air challenge on Liam Williams, which saw him yellow carded and Wales' awarded a penalty try.
The card came after scrumhalf Jack van Poortvliet was carried off the pitch, throwing his Rugby World Cup participation into doubt. The Leicester scrumhalf departed with a damaged ankle following an accidental collision, while Henry Arundell was sent to the sin-bin for not retreating 10 yards.
Warren Gatland's Wales didn't fare much better. Captain Dewi Lake hobbled off to add to Gatland’s injury concerns at hooker.
In the second half Taine Plumtree was next to depart for the stands nursing an injury as play continued to be marred by error after error for both sides.
additional reporting PA
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