Harlequins director of rugby John Kingston claims Kyle Sinckler's determination to impress, after being omitted from England's training squad, resulted in his seven-week ban for gouging.
Sinckler was banned after accepting a charge of making contact with Michael Paterson's eye in the second half of Saturday's defeat at Northampton, but the England prop told a Rugby Football Union disciplinary panel that it was accidental.
The ban, which was reduced from 12-weeks on the grounds of his remorse, effectively rules him out of England's autumn internationals against Argentina, Australia and Samoa.
Kingston is adamant that the "absolutely embarrassed" 24-year-old British and Irish Lion was reckless rather than malicious, while also accepting he had made a grave mistake.
"There's absolutely no doubt in my mind that there was no intent," Kingston said.
"I've seen the pictures myself and have spoken to Kyle about exactly what was his thought process. You can't deny there was contact with the eye.
"What got him to the stage where it happened was recklessness and he acknowledges that. He was trying to gain advantage by getting hold of Paterson's scrum cap and throwing it away.
"Truthfully, it was probably born of someone who is desperately keen to progress, to improve things, to get things done quickly. He's impetuous in the way he wants to make a mark.
"I'm sure his desperation to achieve would have been heightened by the fact he wasn't in England's training squad last week.
"He wanted to make a mark and that's what he said went through his mind - that he wanted to make a mark however he could and if he grabs this and throws it away then he's got to go and get it, that will level things up in terms of reducing numbers actively in attack.
"It led to the incident and there is no place for that at all. Whatever the reason, it's not acceptable.
"He's remorseful and frankly he's absolutely embarrassed about this. There's a lot of pressure on him and he knows he got things very wrong on Saturday.
"Kyle accepted it, he's been mature about it and we knew there would be a ban coming because we pleaded guilty."