IT'S FREEDOM FOR FREDDIE

England star Steward can play for Leicester after his´red card against Ireland is reduced to a yellow

- NEIL SQUIRES

RUGBY UNION HEAD CONTACT CONFUSION

FREDDIE STEWARD breathed a sigh of relief after being reprieved from his Six Nations red card in Dublin.

The England full-back was sent off just before the interval against Ireland after a collision with opposite number Hugo Keenan's head.

But he will be free to play on for his club Leicester after an independent three-man panel judged the incident only warranted a yellow card.

The 22-year-old had been red-carded by South African referee Jaco Peyper.

But the committee, while accepting there had been an act of foul play and that Steward had been "reckless" in his positioning, said the official had overreacted in sending him off.