RUGBY/Six Nations: Austin Healey wriggled out of the latest tight spot in his tempestuous career yesterday when he was cleared to play for England in the Lloyds TSB Six Nations Championship.
The England wing insisted he was sorry for "an act of stupidity" after being found guilty of a reckless kick on Sale's Anthony Elliot in Leicester's Zurich Premiership match at Welford Road last month.
His remorse earned him just a three-week ban from the English Rugby Football Union (RFU), a suspension which was one week longer than that already dealt out by his club, and which was allowed to commence from the date of Leicester's disciplinary hearing on January 4th.
It means Healey will be free to play again on January 25th, more than a week before England play their first Six Nations game against Scotland at Murrayfield.
That constitutes something of a result for Healey, who was banned for eight weeks in 1999 for stamping on London Irish scrumhalf Kevin Putt, a suspension which ruled him out of the entire final Five Nations Championship.
Most experts had expected him to receive the normal sanction of a six-week suspension for his latest misdemeanour which was described as "petulant and petty".
He has barely been out of the disciplinary halls this past year, receiving a fine of around £3,000 for remarks in a newspaper column which were deemed to bring the Lions tour into disrepute.
But the RFU's disciplinary committee accepted Healey had been frustrated after complaining several times to the touch judge about being obstructed.
ENGLAND (training squad for Six Nations match v Scotland, February 2nd Murrayfield): Forwards: N Back (Leicester), M Corry (Leicester), B Kay (Leicester), M Johnson (Leicester), L Moody (Leicester), G Rowntree (Leicester), D West (Leicester), D Grewcock (Bath), M Regan (Bath), R Hill (Saracens), S Thompson (Northampton), J Leonard (Harlequins), J Worsley (Wasps), P Vickery (Gloucester), J White (Bristol), D Danaher (London Irish) Backs: A Healey (Leicester), I Balshaw (Bath), M Catt (Bath), M Perry (Bath), M Tindall (Bath), K Bracken (Saracens), N Walshe (Saracens), B Cohen (Northampton), W Greenwood (Harlequins), D Luger (Harlequins), C Hodgson (Sale), J Robinson (Sale), H Paul (Glouc), J Wilkinson (Newcastle).
