England captain Martin Johnson is ready to "face the consequences" following his punch on Saracens' Scotland hooker Robbie Russell during last Saturday's Premiership game against Leicester.
Johnson's fate is now in the hands of the English Rugby Football Union disciplinary officer Robert Horner, who must decide whether or not to hit him with a disrepute charge.
Despite the Leicester and Lions skipper's right uppercut leaving Russell requiring six stitches to a wound beneath his left eye, he escaped with a yellow card and 10 minutes in the sin-bin.
Horner can still take action though, and a decision is expected once all available evidence has been assessed. The recommended punishment for punching is a three-week ban, meaning that if Johnson was charged and found guilty, he could miss England's Six Nations Championship game against France in Paris on March 2nd.
Johnson, who will captain his country in Saturday's Six Nations encounter with Ireland at Twickenham, said: "I shouldn't have done it - I was hit from behind, and I over-reacted to that situation.
"When I saw that Robbie Russell had been cut, it looked far worse than I thought the actual incident had been. In the heat of the game, I've thrown a punch. If you do something like that, then you have got a chance of being sent off."
Flanker Imanol Harinordoquy is set to make his debut for France against Wales on Saturday. He is one of six changes to the side which won 33-21 against Italy.
The Pau flanker is accompanied by Nicolas Brusque, Pierre Mignoni, Raphael Ibanez, Olivier Brouzet and Xavier Garbajosa.
Harinordoquy (21), replaces the suspended Olivier Magne. Yannick Bru, David Auradou, Frederic Michalak, David Bory and Nicolas Jeanjean were dropped.
Italy coach Brad Johnstone sprang no big surprises in his squad for the game with Scotland.
FRANCE (v Wales): N Brusque; A Rougerie, T Marsh, D Traille, X Garbajosa; G Merceron; P Mignoni; S Hall, I Harinordoquy, S Betsen; O Brouzet, T Privat, P De Villiers, R Ibanez (capt), Jean-Jacques Crenca. Replacements: S Bruno, O Milloud, F Pelous, A Audebert, A Albouy, F Gelez, J Marlu.
ITALY (Squad v Scotland)- Backs: A Troncon, JM Queirolo, R Pez, D Dominguez, C Stoica, L Martin, R Pedrazzi, D Dallan, M Bergamasco, P Vaccari. Forwards: G De Carli, A Lo Cicero, A Moreno, F Pucciarello, A Moscardi (capt), C Checchinato, M Bergamasco, S Dellape, M Phillips, A Persico, M Giacheri, M Bortolami.
