Stuart Lancaster’s first full day as permanent England rugby coach will throw up a swift test of his man-management skills, after a young member of his squad was handed an eight-month ban for breaking an opponent’s arm.
Lancaster’s reputation as a strict disciplinarian and his ability to deliver fair judgment will come into sharp focus after Northampton Saints flanker Calum Clark was hit with the 32-week penalty on Thursday.
Clark’s ban was dished out after the 22-year-old member of this year’s England Elite squad admitted hyper-extending the right arm of Leicester hooker Rob Hawkins during the LV Cup final two weeks ago.
It comes in the same week as England hooker Dylan Hartley was banned for eight weeks for biting and international scrumhalf Ben Youngs was suspended for a week by his Leicester club for striking an opponent.
All eyes will now be on how Lancaster handles the fallout.
Twickenham’s rugby chiefs turned to Lancaster as a stopgap measure in December last year after Martin Johnson quit following England’s disastrous World Cup campaign.
On Thursday, he was appointed to the post on a full-time basis.
His resolve to inculcate a new culture of discipline will come under the microscope, but any action will likely wait until Clark decides whether or not to exercise his right to appeal.
Northampton supported its player on Thursday night and expressed disappointment at the severity of the RFU punishment.
“The disciplinary panel found that Calum Clark had not intended to injure Rob Hawkins in the course of moving his arm. Accordingly, the unfortunate injury suffered by Rob Hawkins was unintentional,” a club statement said.
“In the light of that finding of the disciplinary panel, Northampton Saints is bound to express concern and disappointment at the imposition of such a long suspension, even after significant mitigation in recognition in what was accepted to be Calum Clark’s genuine remorse,” the club said. “Accordingly the club is bound to consider the merits of an appeal.”
The injured Hawkins had surgery earlier this week and is expected to be ruled out for the rest of the season.
However, Leicester rewarded him with a new contract.
“Rob is our player. He got injured for us and we’ll look after him. He’s a good player,” director of rugby Richard Cockerill told the BBC.
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