Toby Flood free to start England's Six Nations campaign having been cleared of a dangerous tackle by RFU panel It was not a tip tackle or a spear tackle. It was just a tackle which left Andy in an awkward position. There was no malice. Toby Flood is not that type of player. Flood would have feared the worst given that administrators have cracked down on this sort of dangerous tackle, as Wales captain Sam Warburton found out when he was sent off for a similar incident in the 2011 World Cup semi-final. Flood has never found himself in trouble before. He has his competitive edge, as befits someone who has won 53 international caps. The last of those came against South Africa in November, a game in which he injured a toe, which cost him his place in the following week's game against New Zealand. Owen Farrell made the most of that opportunity, scoring 17 points as ­England famously beat the world champions 38-21. Flood has always had to fight for his place. So long the understudy to Jonny Wilkinson, he finally edged out his former Newcastle team-mate in early 2011, only to be moved aside prior to the World Cup in New Zealand later that year. Injury kept him out of last year's Six Nations but he returned to take the No 10 shirt from Farrell during the summer tour to South Africa. Now that Gloucester's Freddie Burns has made his mark, Flood faces a battle to get the starting place. London Welsh hooker Neil Briggs has been suspended for three weeks for punching Harlequins wing Sam Smith. Briggs will be sidelined for the Exiles" Amlin Challenge Cup fixtures against Cavalieri and Stade Français, plus their LV Cup appointment with Harlequins. Briggs was cited for punching or striking Smith during Sunday's Aviva Premiership game at the Kassam Stadium. Brad Davis's future as part of the Bath coaching staff remains unclear. The Australian, who joined Bath from rugby league club Castleford in September 2006, was not involved in Aviva Premiership games either side of Christmas. The situation has intensified speculation that he could leave the Recreation Ground ahead of his contract expiring later this year.