England lock Ewels gets fastest-ever Six Nations red card

LONDON : England lock Charlie Ewels was shown a red card in the second minute of Saturday's Six Nations match against Ireland at Twickenham - the earliest sending off for any team since the championship began in 1883.

Ewels was dismissed after a head on head contact while tackling with opposite number James Ryan 82 seconds into the match.

He was completely upright at the contact, giving the officials no room for "mitigation" to reduce the punishment to yellow. Ryan was forced to leave the pitch after the collision.

Ewels is the seventh England player to be sent off and the first since Elliot Daly against Argentina in 2016.

(Reporting by Mitch Phillips, editing by Christian Radnedge)