World Rugby chief confident no confusion around disciplinary issues at World Cup

World Rugby chief executive Alan Gilpin has expressed confidence that there would be no confusion surrounding any disciplinary issues at the Rugby World Cup.

England captain Owen Farrell will miss his country's opening games of the tournament against Argentina and Japan after receiving a four-match ban for a dangerous tackle against World Cup warm-up opponents Wales.

World Rugby had appealed against the decision of a disciplinary panel to downgrade Farrell’s red card for a high tackle to yellow.

But a furious outcry greeted the verdict that Farrell’s shoulder-led challenge to Taine Basham’s head, which caused the Wales flanker to fail a head injury assessment, was a sin-binning offence only.

The appeal committee found that the original hearing had not considered Farrell’s (above) failure to wrap when attempting the tackle, which had formed a key part of the bunker review system’s analysis when upgrading from yellow to red – and on that basis, it was decided to hear the case afresh.

"We have introduced the foul play bunker through Super Rugby and then into the summer games," Gilpin said during the opening World Cup press conference at Roland Garros.

"There are always learnings from introducing things and there have been.

"The key difference for us coming into the tournament is that we get to control the process much more – everything from the way television pictures are shared with the relevant officials through to disciplinary process, obviously all under one set of controls.

"And that gives us the confidence I think that we can make sure it is not confusing for players and fans."

The World Cup will begin in the wake of international players Rhys Webb (above) and Elton Jantjies recording positive drugs tests.

Former Wales and