Moody was the first England player to be sent off at Twickenham

Moody's nine week ban - imposed after his sending off against Samoa - was thought to expire on 29 January.

But the Six Nations committee has admitted that Moody's ban should end on 27 January, freeing him to play for Leicester against Sale on 28 January.

England's first game of the Six Nations is against Wales on 4 February.

The 27-year-old is likely to be among the substitutes for Leicester at Welford Road, giving him the chance to get some game time under his belt and prove his fitness to England coach Andy Robinson.

Moody became the first England payer to be sent off at Twickenham after his involvement in a brawl at the end of the 40-3 win over Samoa.

The fight broke out after England winger Mark Cueto reacted angrily to a dangerous tackle by Moody's Leicester team-mate Alesandro Tuilagi.

Cueto ran over to confront Tuilagi over his tackle but, after being punched, was joined by Moody, who unleashed a barrage of his own.

"Every day I wake up in the hope that it was all a bad dream and every day I ask myself why I did it," he told the Mail on Sunday newspaper in December.

"I've let myself and my family down. I've let England down. Most of all, though, I've let Leicester down."

Moody had already served a six-week ban for punching in a reserve game earlier this season.