Vermeulen handed four-match ban after red card in Sale's win over Saracens

Jacques Vermeulen will miss the entirety of Sale Sharks’ October schedule after an independent disciplinary panel handed the back rower a four-match ban following his red card in Sunday’s 21-17 Gallagher Premiership win over Saracens at the StoneX Stadium.

The 31-year-old South African was dismissed in the 18th minute after making contact with the head of Saracens scrum-half Tomos Williams while attempting to clear out a ruck. A TMO review confirmed the offence, leaving Sale temporarily reduced to 13 men after Alex Lozowski had already been sin-binned for a high shot on Alfie Barbeary.

Vermeulen’s hearing was chaired by Daniel Gore and sat with Mick McArdle and former Harlequins lock Olly Kohn. He accepted the charge but was denied any reduction to the standard four-match entry point, with the panel citing a previous dangerous tackle charge during the 2024/25 season and the fact that he had already attended tackle school.

The ban rules Vermeulen out of four consecutive fixtures: the home Premiership clash against Harlequins on 11 October, the Champions Cup visit of Glasgow Warriors on 17 October, and Premiership away trips to Newcastle on 23 October and Bath on 31 October.

Sale will therefore be without one of their most physical ball-carriers across both European and domestic competition for the remainder of the month, a significant blow as the club look to build on a hard-earned victory at the StoneX Stadium.