Scotland hooker Fraser Brown gets clearance to play against Italy

Scotland hooker Fraser Brown has been cleared to play the final Six Nations encounter against Italy next weekend after he was cited for performing a dangerous tackle on England wing Elliot Daly at Twickenham on Saturday.

The incident happened in the second minute of the game when referee Mathieu Raynal sin-binned the 27-year-old and it affected Scotland's chances in the game as England amassed 10 points during that phase including the first of the three tries from Jonathan Joseph.

Brown on Tuesday appeared before an independent disciplinary committee which stated that the act did not require additional punishment.

A statement released by Six Nations read: "The player [Brown] accepted that he had committed an act of foul play but argued that it had not warranted a red card.

"The disciplinary committee, chaired by Jean-Philippe Lachaume (France), alongside Rhian Williams (Wales) and David Martin (Ireland), having reviewed footage of the incident and all other evidence, as well as hearing submissions and testimony from the player and his representatives, considered the tackle to have been dangerous, and therefore contrary to Law 10.4(e).

"The disciplinary committee, however, found that the act of foul play would have not have warranted a red card, and so the citing complaint was not upheld and no sanction was imposed.

"The player is therefore able to resume playing immediately."

Scotland skipper John Barclay backed the decision made by the independent disciplinary committee on Brown.

"These decisions are very easy to make when you've got however many frames a second," he said. "Fraser doesn't have that opportunity - he's got to make a split-second decision.

"But he's not a dirty player, he would never go out to hurt an opponent. With the laws as they are to protect players, though, he is disappointed in himself."

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