Joe Marler escapes striking sanction, but awaits fate on Samson Lee incident

England prop Joe Marler currently remains available for Saturday's Grand Slam match against France in Paris after escaping sanction for striking Wales' Rob Evans.

Marler faced a disciplinary hearing in London today for the first-half incident in Saturday's 25-21 RBS 6 Nations victory at Twickenham, and accepted he had committed foul play.

While the citing was upheld, the panel found that it was not a red-card offence and so no punishment was issued.

However, Marler remains under investigation for calling Samson Lee "gypsy boy" in the same match, with Six Nations officials stating that the outcome of the probe will be announced on Thursday morning.

Verbal abuse of a player based on religion, race, colour, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation or otherwise carries an entry-point sanction of four weeks, so Marler is still likely to miss the Stade de France showdown.