'Common sense prevails' in Lee Byrne's 16th man saga

Wednesday 3 February 2010
Published By: David Rawlings
Six Nations > Brumbies

Welsh full-back Lee Byrne will be able to play in his country's Six Nations opener against England on Saturday after a bizarre decision to ban him was overturned.

The number 15 missed training on Tuesday to attend a personal hearing in Glasgow where a three man committee, made up of Scotland’s Rod McKenzie, professor Lorne Crerar and Bill Dunlop, said he could play this weekend.

Byrne was banned after coming onto the field illegally in a recent game for the Ospreys, which meant his team had a one man advantage for nearly a minute.

The Daily Telegraph's Brendan Gallagher called the decision "a belated victory for common sense" and said others were more culpable than Byrne, who will now have to pay a £4,400 fine.

Wales defence coach Shaun Edwards branded the game's disciplinary process "peculiar" and called for the rules to be changed following the Byrne affair.