Chris Ashton’s England comeback is in jeopardy after he was cited for allegedly making contact with the eye of an opponent during Saracens’ European Champions Cup victory over Ulster at Allianz Park on Saturday.

The 39-cap wing will face a disciplinary hearing in London on Wednesday after being accused of making contact with the eye or eye area of the Ulster centre Luke Marshall in the 16th minute of Saracens’ 33-17 victory that ensured they would have a home draw in the quarter-finals. If found guilty, Ashton faces a long ban. The entry point for a suspension is 12 weeks, which mitigating circumstances such as a guilty plea, a previously good disciplinary record and contrition may cut by half, while the highest available punishment for the most serious offences is four years.

The match referee, Jérôme Garcès, penalised Ashton for a high challenge on Marshall. He referred the incident to the television match official after Marshall had indicated contact with his eyes but deemed the offence worth nothing more than a penalty to Ulster. “Nothing clear and dangerous for me about the finger in the eyes,” he said at the time. The French citing commissioner Yves Thieffine thinks differently.

Last week the Stade Français wing Josaia Raisuqe received a 15-week suspension for making contact with the eye area of the Munster flanker CJ Stander having been sent off for the offence by the referee, Nigel Owens. The ban was three weeks over the recommended entry point because of a World Rugby memorandum on the need for deterrent bans for gouging.

Ashton was picked in the England elite squad by the head coach, Eddie Jones, last week having been sidelined for the final 16 months of the previous regime. His last international appearance was on the 2014 tour to New Zealand and after the selection he spoke at how he had never given up hope of adding to his 19 Test tries.

He was among six players cited after the latest round of European Champions Cup and Challenge Cup matches. The Glasgow flanker Ryan Wilson also faces a 12-week ban after being charged with grabbing the testicles of Northampton scrum-half Lee Dickson at Franklin’s Gardens on Sunday. Wilson’s fellow back-row Tim Swinson has been cited for punching the Saints’ hooker Mike Haywood. The Clermont Auvergne flanker Viktor Kolelishvili was cited for allegedly shoving the referee, Wayne Barnes, during his side’s defeat by Ospreys in Swansea last Friday night, an act that carries a minimum ban of 24 weeks.

In the Challenge Cup, the Newport Gwent Dragons’ T Rhys Thomas will have to answer a charge of biting the Castres flanker Thomas Caballero at his disciplinary hearing on Wednesday.