Alfie Barbeary is facing the prospect of a suspension that would likely rule him out of the start of England’s Six Nations campaign, handing Steve Borthwick a headache as he prepares to name his squad. Compounding matters for the head coach, Exeter’s Greg Fisilau – another bright prospect at No 8 – has also been cited and he, too, faces a possible ban.
The uncapped Barbeary starred in Bath’s fine Champions Cup victory against Racing 92 on Sunday despite picking up two yellow cards, leading to his sending off late in the game. The 23-year-old former Wasps back-rower was on Monday cited separately for both incidents and could pick up two suspensions at his hearing on Wednesday. Fisilau, meanwhile, escaped with a yellow card for his part in a head-on-head collision with Duncan Weir but he too has been summoned to a disciplinary hearing later on Tuesday.
Barbeary’s first yellow card came for a dangerous tackle on Max Spring in the sixth minute of the match, his second for dangerously striking Nolann Le Garrec with his forearm with five minutes remaining. As both offences involved contact with the head or neck, Barbeary is facing entry-point bans of six weeks. To be available for the start of the Six Nations then, Barbeary would need to be cleared on both counts. Even if both citing complaints are dismissed, the red card decision would still be heard. The silver lining is that if he were to pick up two bans they would most likely run concurrently, as was the case with Toulouse’s Thomas Ramos for two incidents against Sale last season.
Any ban for Barbeary, however, would likely be a blow to Borthwick, who will unveil his England squad for the Six Nations on Wednesday. The head coach is already preparing to field a new-look back row for England’s championship opener against Italy on 3 February with Tom Curry injured and Courtney Lawes retired from international duty. Barbeary – in fine form this season – is just the sort of dynamic ball-carrier to breathe life into his side.
Barbeary was on Eddie Jones’s radar when still plying his trade at hooker but has endured rotten luck with injuries whenever an England cap has appeared to beckon. Fisilau, another forced to leave Wasps after the club went bust, has also caught the eye for his performances for Exeter and was afforded special praise by Borthwick this month.
