Nathan Hughes must wait up to a week to find out if he can play any part in England's autumn series after his disciplinary hearing for punching was bizarrely postponed in mysterious circumstances.
The Wasps number eight spent four hours in front of an independent three-man panel on Wednesday night only for the case to be halted after it was decided a delay was necessary "in order to deal with an issue that arose during the evening".
When asked for clarification on the issue in question, the Rugby Football Union declined to comment and Hughes is unable to play until a verdict is reached – almost certainly ruling him out of Friday's Champions Cup clash with Leinster.
"The independent panel appointed to deal with this case will reconvene within seven days in order to deal with an issue that arose during the evening," independent panel chair Gareth Graham said.
"No judgment will be issued by the panel in this period and the panel direct that the player, Wasps Rugby and the RFU are to make no further comment until the case has concluded.
"The player remains suspended until the conclusion of the matter."
Hughes appeared before the independent disciplinary hearing after being cited for punching Lewis Ludlow in the head while being pinned to the floor by the Gloucester flanker.
The offence took place in the final minute of Wasps' 35-21 defeat at the Ricoh Arena on Saturday.
It had been speculated that the Fijian-born 27-year-old would face a ban of six weeks if found guilty as blows to the head are automatically considered to be a mid-range offence in the table of sanctions.
A suspension of that length would rule him out of the November Tests against South Africa, New Zealand and Japan, but make him available for the climax of the series against Australia.
His absence would leave England reliant on Billy Vunipola as their only recognised number eight after Exeter's Sam Simmonds was ruled out for at least six months by a knee injury.
PA
