Byrne cleared for Twickenham after ban lifted
Wales full-back Lee Byrne will play for cleared for England game at Twickenham after two-week ban lifted
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By Matt Hallam. |  |
Wednesday, 03, Feb 2010 10:18
By Alistair Potter.
Full-back Lee Byrne will play for Wales against England at Twickenham this weekend after having his two-week rugby ban lifted by the ERC.
Byrne was set to miss Saturday's Six Nations opener after he was punished for being the Ospreys' temporary 16th man during a Heineken Cup game against Leicester earlier this month.
But the Welsh Rugby Union have succeeded in having the ban overturned, and chief executive Roger Lewis said he is "delighted" by the news.
"The independent appeal committee's decision. is great news for Lee Byrne and for Wales," he said.
"It has been an extremely difficult time for the player, but we have been determined to give him all the support he needed to achieve this fair resolution of a difficult matter.
"It has not been an easy decision either for the original independent committee hearing the evidence or the appeal panel and I applaud them all on their diligence."
Lewis said the result of the appeal was "an important victory for all concerned", especially as it affords Wales head coach Warren Gatland the luxury of selecting his strongest team for what is arguably his side's biggest game of the tournament.
"We can all look forward to a great game of rugby at Twickenham," he added.
Wales are due to announce their team for Saturday's fixture at lunchtime today, while England named their starting XV yesterday - including an inexperienced front-row of Tim Payne, Dylan Hartley and David Wilson and the return of utility back Mathew Tait.