England’s Ewels out of New Zealand rugby series after Japan red card

Charlie Ewels has been withdrawn from England’s rugby squad for their upcoming Test series with New Zealand after he was banned for two games following his sending-off against Japan in Tokyo on Saturday.

Saracens’ Nick Isiekwe will replace the Bath second row in England coach Steve Borthwick’s 36-man party for the two-Test campaign against the All Blacks.

Ewels earned the unwanted record of becoming the first player to be sent off in consecutive Tests, as well as the first England international to receive two red cards, after his yellow card for a dangerous clearout in the closing stages of a 52-17 win over Japan was upgraded to red.

The decision by the bunker review system was then upheld by a disciplinary hearing on Sunday, which rejected England’s argument that while Ewels’s clearout of Japan captain Michael Leitch was foul play, it did not constitute an offence worthy of a dismissal.

Instead a three-strong disciplinary committee featuring two former Australia internationals in David Croft and John Langford, said “a red card was warranted”.

Ewels was only on the pitch for four minutes as a second-half replacement when he recklessly entered a ruck from a low position, taking out Leitch by angling into his legs.

After being sent off in the second minute of England’s 2022 Six Nations defeat by Ireland for a dangerous tackle on James Ryan, Ewels has effectively received two red cards in just seven minutes of international rugby.

In between those red cards, Ewels’ England career had been interrupted by a serious knee injury sustained later in 2022.

In issuing a two-game ban, the disciplinary panel effectively ended Ewels’s hopes of featuring in both matches against New Zealand, with England facing the All Blacks in Dunedin on July 6 before the second Test in Auckland on July 13.

Isiekwe made his England debut when replacing Ewels against Argentina in 2017 and now the Saracens forward, who can play in the back as well as second row, has the chance to add to his tally of 11 caps.