Zander Fagerson will be available for Scotland's opening match at the World Cup after receiving a reduced ban for charging into a ruck.

The third match in a three-game ban is to be replaced by a "coaching intervention programme", which will allow him to play when Scotland meet reigning world champions South Africa in Marseille on 10 September.

Fagerson sits out this weekend's return match with France and the final tournament warm-up at home to Georgia.

The independent judicial committee hearing the case [Rhian Williams - chair (Wales), Jamie Corsi (Wales) and Juan Pablo Spirandelli (Argentina)] agreed to amend Fagerson's offence to Law 9.20 (b) (Dangerous play in a ruck or maul. A player must not make contact with an opponent above the line of the shoulders.)

Fagerson acknowledged he deserved a red card and World Rugby's mandatory minimum mid-range entry point for foul play resulting in contact with the head is a four-week suspension.

That was then cut to three weeks, taking into account the player's admission of guilt and remorse. The offer of a training programme effectively takes the ban down to two matches.

The statement on the ruling explained that the course is "aimed at modifying specific techniques and technical issues that contributed to the foul play".

Speaking before Fagerson's hearing on Tuesday evening, Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend insisted there was "no malice or foul play" in the challenge on Bourgarit.

Scotland also meet Tonga, Romania and Ireland in World Cup Pool B.