Saracens and England prop Mako Vunipola hit with four-match ban after sending off against Newcastle

Saracens will be without England international Mako Vunipola for the rest of January after he was handed a four-match ban.

The prop was sent off for a dangerous tackle on Bryan Byrne during last weekend's 37-19 Gallagher Premiership Rugby win over Newcastle Falcons.

Vunipola had admitted foul play to an independent panel, who ruled against the 32-year old's argument that the challenge did not meet the red card threshold.

The ban comes into immediate effect, but will end in time for the beginning of the Six Nations, which get under way next month.

England, looking to win the title for the first time since 2020, get their campaign started in Italy on February 3.

Vunipola will be available for that game, should he be recalled by head coach Steve Borthwick, but will miss two rounds of Premiership fixtures for Saracens.

The first of those is this weekend's meeting with Leicester Tigers, which is live on TNT Sports on Saturday afternoon, as well as the match against Exeter Chiefs on January 27.

Those games come either side of Investec Champions Cup clashes against Bordeaux and Lyon, which Vunipola will also miss due to the suspension.

The red card against Newcastle was the second of Vunipola's career, having been previously sent off last season - also against Newcastle.

He is ineligible to take part in World Rugby's Coaching Intervention Programme, having completed it in 2022.

Had he been eligible for the programme, he would have been able to apply to have the ban reduced by one game.

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