By Mitch Phillips
LONDON (Reuters) - Wales fullback Lee Byrne is free to play in Saturday's Six Nations game against England after successfully appealing on Tuesday against his 14-day ban for his role as the Ospreys' Heineken Cup "16th-man" against Leicester.
Last week an independent European Rugby Cup (ERC) disciplinary committee banned Byrne for two weeks and fined the Ospreys 25,000 euros (21,965 pounds) after they also pleaded guilty to misconduct.
Byrne also admitted a misconduct charge after he briefly rejoined the action in the second half of his team's victory over Leicester, following treatment for a foot injury, before Sonny Parker had left the field.
The fullback appealed against the level of sanction and an Independent Appeal Committee sitting in Glasgow allowed the appeal and changed the punishment to a fine.
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ERC issued a statement on Tuesday saying that Byrne had "demonstrated that the original decision had been in error and the sanction should be varied to a fine of 5,000 euros."
Wales coach Warren Gatland delayed naming his team for the Twickenham clash until the appeal had been heard and Byrne, who missed all his country's November internationals through injury, is expected to be named at fullback later on Tuesday or on Wednesday.
(Editing by Pritha Sarkar)
