England head coach Steve Borthwick says he is “disappointed and bemused” after World Rugby appealed against the decision to overturn captain Owen Farrell’s red card.
The appeal was announced on Thursday and Borthwick has left the fly-half out of the squad to face Ireland in Dublin on Saturday.
Farrell could potentially now miss all four of England’s World Cup pool games.
“I think the process has been bewildering,” Borthwick said.
Speaking to BBC Sport, he added: “We’ve gone through the process and respected the process. We thought the process had been concluded on Tuesday afternoon and I’m really disappointed and bemused that this is now going into our next Test week as well. It’s frustrating.”
Farrell became the first England player to receive a red card from rugby’s new ‘bunker’ review system after he made a high tackle on Taine Basham during the 19-17 win over Wales last week.
An independent judicial committee (IJC) then rescinded the 31-year-old’s dismissal, clearing him to play a key role at the upcoming World Cup.
But an Independent Appeal Committee will now be appointed to determine the matter at the earliest possible opportunity.
England face Ireland on Saturday and then Fiji on 26 August at Twickenham in their two final warm-up matches before they open their World Cup campaign against Argentina on 9 September in Marseille.
‘Some of the stuff that’s been said – it’s just wrong’
Borthwick criticised the “commentary” on Farrell’s character since the incident.
“The commentary I’ve seen has moved off the tackle and become a commentary on the man,” Borthwick said. “People think they know the man. They think they know the character of Owen Farrell. Some of the stuff that’s been said – it’s just wrong.
“I don’t know quite why everyone seems to have launched personal attacks. Owen has handled himself throughout this situation in an exemplary manner.
“It’s been a disruption this week and it will be a disruption next week in the final weeks before the World Cup.”
Speaking on Thursday former Wales international Alix Popham backed World Rugby’s decision to appeal the overturning of the red card.
“The punishment hasn’t been severe enough for him,” said Popham. “He always gets off lightly with the number of weeks or games he can’t play for.
“He’s a serial tackler with these type of offences. It’s his game, he’s a physical player. He hasn’t learned his lesson.”
