Saracens’ concerns have intensified after Billy Vunipola’s arrest in Mallorca, and Maro Itoje faces the prospect of a suspension that could rule him out for the club’s end-of-season run-in.
Barely 24 hours after the announcement of Vunipola’s arrest, Itoje was cited for a harmful duel during the Saracens’ 15-12 victory over Bath last Friday. Itoje was scheduled to appear on Tuesday evening for a disciplinary hearing, the announcement of which was expected on Wednesday morning.
Vunipola will face the music on Wednesday as he performs at the Club for the first time since he was tasered and arrested at a Mallorca nightclub over the weekend during a team bonding trip. The N ° 8 paid a fine of after his arrest, suspected of disobedience and assault on a police officer after an Express trial in Palma, before returning to Stansted on Monday.
He was also given a four-month suspended prison sentence.
It is understood the players were given the day off on Tuesday, but Vunipola is expected to return to the club on Wednesday instead of receiving an extended leave of absence.
Itoje was sent to the sin bin on Friday by referee Luke Pearce for his actionstarting on Alfie Barbeary, but the citing officer deemed the incident worthy of a red card. If the powers are upheld, Itoje faces a six-week entry ban due to head contact – a suspension that would rule him out of the first two tests of England’s summer tour of Japan and New Zealand.
However, the 29-year-old can expect mitigation, and a three-week suspension reduced to two for attending the “Tackle School” is foreseeable. This would still end Itoje’s home campaign, as Saracens still have two regular season games ahead of them, although they are currently in second place in the Premier League and well placed to qualify for the playoffs.
With Itoje’s availability for the run-in in doubt, it remains to be seen what action Saracens will take against Vunipola. If they decide not to impose a ban on him, the Rugby Football Union could still power him for harmful behavior for the game.
The union could go so far as to impose a suspension, but it is understood that the warning it received in April for comments on social networks that seemed to support Israel Folau, who had made homophobic remarks, is considered expired.