Ford and Gray free to face Wallabies

Editor

Scotland pair Ross Ford and Jonny Gray have had their appeals upheld and are now free to play after a hearing on Saturday in London.

Ford and Gray are free to resume playing with immediate effect after successfully appealing against their three-week suspension for acts of foul play contrary to Law 10.4(j) (dangerous tackles).

The appeal took place today at the London offices of the official law firm for Rugby World Cup 2015 Clifford Chance and was heard by an Appeal Committee, chaired by the Honourable Justice Lex Mpati (South Africa), sitting with Justice Graeme Mew (Canada) and Robbie Deans (New Zealand).

Having conducted a detailed review of all the evidence, including new submissions from the players and their representatives, along with all available camera angles, the Appeal Committee dismissed the finding that the players had committed an act of foul play as the player had not been dropped or driven and therefore the tackle was not dangerous.

The players are therefore free to play again immediately but whether they will be used by Scotland for Sunday's quarter-final against Australia is currently unknown.