Rugby:Wales fullback Lee Byrne has been cleared to play in Saturday's Six Nations clash against England at Twickenham after winning his appeal against a two-week ban imposed following his brief appearance as a 16th player in the Ospreys' Heineken Cup victory over Leicester 10 days ago.
An independent appeal committee in Glasgow decided Byrne's sanction should be varied to a €5,000 fine.
Byrne admitted a misconduct charge last Friday and was suspended, but Wales head coach Warren Gatland delayed his team announcement for the England game in the hope Byrne might be available.
Byrne is now set to line up at Twickenham when Wales will chase a fourth successive Six Nations win against their hosts.
The appeal committee's decision was announced almost four hours after Byrne's hearing began in Glasgow.
Tonight’s committee, chaired by Rod McKenzie, “found that Mr Byrne had demonstrated that the original decision had been in error and the sanction should be varied to a fine of €5,000” leaving Byrne free to play with immediate effect.
Leicester, whose defeat meant they were knocked out of Europe, lodged an official complaint with ERC after Byrne went back on following his departure due to a bloodied toe.
Sonny Parker had replaced him three minutes earlier, but the Ospreys briefly had 16 players on the field until fly-half Dan Biggar then left the action.
Like Byrne, the Ospreys were hit with a misconduct complaint, receiving a fine of €25,000.
Gatland intends to announce his team on Thursday lunchtime, with Byrne's expected presence in it providing a huge boost.
He missed Wales' entire autumn Test series due to injury, but his successful appeal has also freed up James Hook for a likely midfield role alongside Jamie Roberts.
Had Byrne remained suspended until February 12, then Hook was expected to retain the number 15 shirt he wore as Byrne's autumn deputy, with Andrew Bishop probably partnering Roberts.
Gatland though, can now announce a side set to feature seven survivors from the side that beat England 26-19 at Twickenham two years ago - Byrne, Hook, Shane Williams, Adam Jones, Alun-Wyn Jones, Martyn Williams and captain Ryan Jones.
Earlier in the day Jermone Thion was cleared by an ERC Disciplinary hearing in Dublin for his alleged punch during a Heineken Cup match last month. The Biarritz lock is free to continue playing with immediate effect.
Thion was cited for an alleged punch/strike on his opposite number Richie Gray during Biarritz’s 41-20 win over Glasgow in their final Pool 2 game at Parc des Sports Aguilera.
The hearing was originally scheduled for last Thursday but was adjourned until today at the player’s request. At today’s hearing judicial officer Mark McParland determined Thion was “not guilty of foul play in contravention of Law 10.4 (a)".
