Friday 10 April 2015 22:28, UK
Wasps' loose-forward Nathan Hughes has had his ban for kneeing George North quashed after RFU disciplinary officials reversed their original decision.
The No 8 was sent off by referee Craig Maxwell-Keys after catching the Welshman on the head in a last-ditch attempt to prevent the outside centre scoring a try in Wasps' 52-30 Aviva Premiership defeat to the Saints last month.
Sir James Dingemans, the RFU's head of independent rugby judiciary, imposed a three-week suspension, claiming "recklessness" trumped any lack of intention on Hughes' part.
In Friday night's appeal however, hearing panel chairman Jeremy Summers overturned that decision and rescinded Hughes' red card, ruling "no act of foul play took place in that the incident occurred accidentally".
Summers claimed the appeal committee "had the advantage of evidence not before the original panel", but such an about-turn is extremely rare.
"As a club, we feel we have a duty not only to protect player welfare, but also to protect the reputation of players who we feel have been unfairly sanctioned," said Wasps' rugby director Dai Young.
"We strongly believed this incident was an accident and that is why we appealed.
"We are delighted for Nathan that he has had the red card dismissed. He is a good guy, who has always had a clean record and I am pleased for him that that remains."
Wales wing North was concussed in the incident and subsequently stood down for a month by neurologists.
It was the third time in a matter of months the 22-year-old had been concussed, having suffered similar injuries during last year's Autumn international against New Zealand and the Six Nations opener with England in February.
Hughes is now free to play immediately, although the reprieve may have come too soon for him to be considered for the Premiership clash with London Welsh on Saturday.
