Rugby Union: Johnson Cleared to Play on for Tigers

Martin Johnson will lead Leicester in the final stages of the Zurich Premiership campaign after avoiding a ban last night by convincing a disciplinary committee that an exchange of punches did not amount to fighting.

The 35-year-old former England and Lions captain faced an ignominious end to an illustrious career when he was sent to the sin-bin during Leicester's defeat at Saracens nine days ago after a punch-up with the home flanker Ben Russell. As it was his third yellow card for foul play in this season's Premiership, Johnson automatically faced a disciplinary committee and a potential ban of three weeks, which would have ruled him out of the climax of the season, which ends with the play-off final at Twickenham on May 14.

Johnson decided to appeal against the yellow card at Saracens and arrived at the disciplinary hearing in Coventry last night armed with the QC Sir Clive Woodward used in his last year as England's head coach, Richard Smith.

The upshot was that the three-man disciplinary panel upheld Johnson's appeal and ruled that his dispute with Russell, which started when Johnson was illegally pulled to the ground from a maul and responded with a right hook as he lay pinned to the ground, was not a fight.

"I am very pleased with the result and look forward to the rest of the season," said Johnson, whose week had got off to a bad start when Leicester were knocked out of the Heineken Cup at the semi-final stage by Toulouse.

Johnson's availability for Saturday's clash against Wasps at Welford Road, which will decide who finishes at the top of the Premiership table and qualifies directly for the play-off final, will be a relief for Leicester who will be without three of this summer's Lions - Lewis Moody, Graham Rowntree and Martin Corry - through injury or suspension.