Nowell available for Exeter's cup semi vs La Rochelle after escaping ban

Jack Nowell will be available for Exeter's Heineken 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 team-mate Olly Woodburn received a second yellow card in Sunday’s 62-19 Premiership defeat against 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 champions La Rochelle in Bordeaux on 30 April.

The fine will be donated to a charity and Nowell, who has just recovered from the knee injury that forced him to sit out the Leicester game, must also undertake a referees’ course.

Having earlier been sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on, Woodburn (below) was sent off by Dickson for a second yellow card offence awarded for diving on Ashton in an attempt to prevent a try.

Other injured Exeter players also used social media to vent their frustration, with Luke Cowan-Dickie tweeting that "rugby had lost the plot" while Henry Slade said "I have no words".

However, in a statement explaining the disciplinary panel’s verdict it was made clear that Dickson had made the right call.

"World Rugby has confirmed that professional match official, Karl Dickson, correctly applied the law during the Leicester Tigers v Exeter Chiefs game which saw