Exeter’s Jack Nowell fined £10,000 but avoids ban for tweet criticising referee

Jack Nowell will be available for Exeter’s Champions Cup semi-final against La Rochelle after escaping a ban for the misconduct charge arising from his criticism of a referee on social media.

Nowell was charged with conduct prejudicial to the interests of the Rugby Football Union and the game after his Chiefs teammate Olly Woodburn received a second yellow card in Sunday’s 62-19 Premiership defeat by Leicester.

Woodburn had dived on Chris Ashton on the floor and upon seeing referee Karl Dickson’s decision, Nowell said in a since-deleted tweet: “I’m actually in shock, like shock shocked. What the hell is happening? That’s one of the worst decisions I’ve ever seen. EVER.”

The England wing accepted the charge at a disciplinary hearing on Wednesday night and was issued a £10,000 fine, meaning he is free to take part in the European showdown with the champions La Rochelle in Bordeaux on 30 April. The hearing panel also directed him to undertake a refereeing course.

As revealed by the Guardian, England players will be given fresh social media guidance “in line with World Cup regulations” before the tournament in France and while defending Nowell before Wednesday’s hearing, his director of rugby, Rob Baxter, said he had reminded his players of the platform’s pitfalls.

“With Jack’s charge, it came through as I was getting ready for a players’ meeting,” he added. “I said: ‘Just be careful, you know you need to be really careful on these things.’ That is all you can really say.”