BRISTOL LOCK JOSH Caulfield has seen the red card he received against Connacht last weekend overturned by a disciplinary committee.

The second row was red-carded after his boot made contact with the face of Connacht prop Finlay Bealham in the first half of the Irish province’s Champions Cup win on Friday night.

Referee Pierre Brousset sent Caulfield off after reviewing the incident, stating that it was an “intentional act of foul play.”

However, EPCR has now confirmed that an independent disciplinary panel has overturned the red card following a hearing.

Caulfield told the panel that he did not accept he had committed an act of foul play.

While the three-person panel decided that the Bristol player had committed an act of foul play, they determined that “the offence did not warrant a red card” and overturned Brousset’s decision.

That means Caulfield is free to play immediately, although EPCR has the right to appeal the decision.