Australia back Reece Hodge banned for pool stage after dangerous tackle in win over Fiji

Banned: Reece Hodge
AFP/Getty Images
Will Macpherson25 September 2019

Australia back Reece Hodge will miss the remainder of the Rugby World Cup pool stage after being banned for three weeks for a dangerous tackle on Fiji’s Peceli Yato on Saturday.

Hodge was not punished for the first-half tackle, which caused flanker Yato to leave the field, at the time, but was cited. The Wallabies went on to record a bonus-point win.

A four-hour hearing in Tokyo today deemed the entry point for the offence — a high tackle with contact to the head and a high degree of danger — to be a six-week ban, but reduced it to three on the grounds of his exemplary disciplinary record and good character. The panel believed it warranted a red card.

He will miss Australia’s remaining pool games against Wales on Sunday, Uruguay and Georgia. Hodge will be available again after October 11, for the knockout rounds if Australia make it through the group.

Hodge has 48 hours to appeal the decision, which follows a World Rugby statement yesterday criticising the refereeing so far at the tournament. The panel was made up of Nigel Hampton QC (New Zealand), former international coach Frank Hadden (Scotland) and former referee José Luis Rolandi (Argentina).

The verdict could mean that Samoan pair Rey Lee-Lo and Motu Matu’u are in trouble after they were cited for acts of foul play during their side’s 34-9 win over Russia yesterday. The pair received first-half yellow cards for high tackles on full-back Vasily Artemyev.

Samoa wing Ed Fidow has also received a Citing Commissioner Warning for foul play in the same match.

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