Ollie Thorley: Gloucester winger gets four-game ban for dangerous tackle

Ollie Thorley needed medical attention prior to being sent off

Gloucester winger Ollie Thorley has been banned for four weeks after being found guilty of a dangerous tackle by an independent disciplinary panel.

Thorley, 24, was sent off 28 minutes into his side's win at Wasps after clashing heads with Rob Miller in a tackle after chasing a box kick.

Thorley contested the charge but the panel upheld the red card.

The mid-range offence had a starting point of a six-week ban, with Thorley being given two weeks dispensation.

In a statement, the panel said they were required by the regulations to impose the sanction "because this incident involved contact with the head".

After the collision, which left Thorley needing treatment, happened, television match official Graham Hughes felt that no foul play had taken place.

But referee Matthew Carley overruled, deciding there was no mitigation to reprieve Thorley because the winger had not lowered his tackle height.

Exeter's injured England winger Jack Nowell described Thorley's punishment a "joke", while England World Cup winner Phil Vickery said the red card was a "ridiculous decision".

Thorley will miss Premiership games against Leicester Tigers, Harlequins and Exeter, as well as his side's Champions Cup last 16 tie with La Rochelle.

London Irish centre Terrence Hepetema, 29, has also been banned for three weeks after he was sent off for a dangerous tackle in which he made contact with Kobus van Wyk's head during Friday's defeat at Leicester Tigers.

The dismissals follow those last month of Gloucester prop Val Rapava-Ruskin and Scotland prop Zander Fagerson for connecting with the head.