THE immediate future of Martin Johnson (pictured) should be decided in rapid fashion at Twickenham later today - compared to the last marathon effort anyway.
A disciplinary panel is to hear his appeal against a three-match ban for punching which, if it stands, will rule him out of the international with Wales at Twickenham on March 23.
The original Rugby Football Union meeting on February 21 took over 10 hours. Most of the arguments surrounded the right of the RFU to further punish Johnson for his punch on Saracens hooker Robbie Russell during the Zurich Premiership match at Vicarage Road last month.
Johnson was sin-binned by referee Dave Pearson and Leicester do not believe the RFU can effectively penalise their skipper twice.
The factor will again form the basis of Leicester's battle to quash the ban. Their decision to appeal against the original verdict caused controversy, as it freed the England skipper to play in last Saturday's crunch clash with France in Paris.
As it turned out it proved of no benefit to England as they lost the match and with it another chance of completing a Grand Slam.
By taking his case to appeal, Johnson has left himself open to an increased penalty, though nobody expects that to happen.
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