JOHN Brain remains hopeful that "common sense" will prevail over Pat Sanderson.
Worcester Warriors' skipper was cited last week after an incident during the Sixways side's Premiership victory over Wasps.
Brain -- Worcester's director of rugby -- will represent his captain at a disciplinary hearing tomorrow night and believes the RFU panel will see sense.
"I'm hoping that common sense will prevail," said Brain. "I think the tariff for this type of incident is a three-game ban but we believe that there are mitigating circumstances.
"Our worst case scenario is three games but, as England pulled him out of their first sevens game in the Dubai tournament last week, we think he's already served a one-game ban."
Sanderson was penalised during the game for the incident with fellow sevens player Peter Richards in the 27-24 victory over the European champions. However, despite the foul being dealt with on the night, the Premiership citing officer flagged up Sanderson's challenge.
Meanwhile, Brain has moved quickly to dismiss suggestions that Worcester's European Shield second leg tie with Rovigo at Sixways could be called off. Talk in Italy over the weekend surrounded their financial worries but Brain believes the Italians will travel to Sixways on Saturday.
"There's absolutely no danger of the game being called off," added Brain. "There was talk of problems but there was also talk of a cash injection which will see them through this season.
"They will be at Sixways on Saturday and a number of the players were talking about what they would be doing when they got to England. I think, if they didn't fulfil their fixture, they would face European expulsion so that's a very harsh penalty that nobody wants."
Worcester, in the European Shield after their exit from the European Challenge Cup, paid for the trip out of their own pockets because the competition offers no financial support.
"There is no financial help," said Brain. "The club has to pay for all the expenses and then, even if you win the competition, I'm not sure whether you get any money.
"We are contracted to play in the tournament, though, and the game proved to be a useful exercise for a number of players who haven't played lately."
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