There’s no point in Michael Hooper buying a lotto ticket this week, he’s already used up all his luck in London overnight.
The IRB’s independent citing commissioner Steve Hinds from New Zealand charged Hooper under law 10.4 (h) – “Charging into a ruck or maul without use of the arms or grasping a player” – for his hit on England fullback Mike Brown at Twickenham last weekend.
Hooper faced a minimum two-week suspension if a guilty verdict was handed down at the low range, five weeks for mid-range, and 10 or more weeks for high range. He pleaded guilty, so that he’d miss the final pool game against Wales at the weekend, and the quarter-final.
But the IRB’s independent judicial officer – Canadian Alan Hudson – took Hooper’s guilty plea into account, plus his good character, and no off-field misdemeanours, and cut the minimum two weeks in half.
Damn lucky for a stupid kamikaze-type clean out.
Wallabies coach Michael Cheika now faces an intriguing selection problem. Does he promote the very talented openside flanker Sean McMahon from the grandstand to the starting line-up against Wales and leave Scott Fardy at No.6, and David Pocock at No.8?
Or does he move Pocock to 7, leave Fardy at 6, and promote Ben McCalman to 8?
The first alternative appeals the most.
Cometh the hour, cometh the man, and this situation is tailor-made for the strapping 21-year-old McMahon and his 186-centimetre, 107-kilogram frame. He’s bigger than Hooper’s 182 centimetres and 97 kilograms, and hits harder.
More importantly, Pocock is playing so magnificently at No.8 that he’s heading for man of the tournament to join David Campese in 1991 and Tim Horan in 1999, when the Wallabies won their two World Cups.
Besides, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Why make two changes when one will do very nicely?
Apart from the enforced change the pack is settled with:
1. Scott Sio
2. Stephen Moore (c)
3. Sekope Kepu
4. Kane Douglas
5. Rob Simmons
6. Scott Fardy
7. Sean McMahon
8. David Pocock
But there’s some serious doubt about champion fullback Israel Folau’s ankle and winger Rob Horne’s shoulder. With inside centre Matt Giteau suffering from a sternum injury, there could be three enforced changes in the backline which could look like this:
9. Will Genia
10. Bernard Foley
11. Drew Mitchell
12. Matt Toomua
13. Tevita Kuridrani
14. Adam Ashley-Cooper
15. Kurtley Beale
While the bench would look like the following:
16. Tatafu Polota-Nau
17. James Slipper
18. Greg Holmes
19. Dean Mumm
20. Ben McCalman
21. Nick Phipps
22. Quade Cooper
23. Joe Tomane
Even with the revamping the Wallabies will still be very strong and must beat Wales.
Losing is not an option.
Fairly Rucked
Roar Rookie
I thought it was nasty, when I saw the knee being lifted into the tackle it looked deliberate and I thought he would get cited. That sort of thing can really injury a player. No problem with 5 weeks. All these punters calling it a Maori sidestep are missing the point. You cannot deliberately knee a defender in the chest as he tries to tackle you. Definitely needs to be stamped out of the game.
Taylorman
Guest
I see Gareth Anscombe is playing for Wales at fullback, good to see him finally make the squad.
cs
Roar Guru
Mitchell also in, and Poey is VC. All good, which is to say that whatever Cheika et al reckon is all good! If I was playing for Wales, I wouldn't be sleeping very well!
LifestyleSpecialist
Roar Rookie
Team announced! McMahon for Hooper as expected. Giteau and Folau OK. Interestingly Simmons on bench and Mumm starting. Hope our line-out goes OK without Simmons. Hopefully just resting him as was injured before the World Cup and has been our go to man. Simmons has really stepped up this season. He'll never be a bruising lock but he contributes and is reliable. Bring on Saturday!! Twickenham here we come!
jutsie
Guest
I am more outraged by Tualigi's suspension than hoopers to be frank. Hooper probably did deserve a yellow and maybe a week if you are being pedantic but the main issue with me there is the lack of consistency. However the tualigi suspension is ridiculous and really does add fuel to the fire for the conspiracy theorists out there.
DiploMatt
Guest
Roddy - I am a student of history! Have you ever had an original thought/comment in your life mate?
RodMac
Roar Rookie
Diplo - waiting all week to pull yourself out of that hole mate?
nick
Guest
that seems perfectly reasonable to me
Really
Guest
Failed logic in accordance to high standards, Peter K. This is professional sports , there are prizes and competitions to win !
Jibba Jabba
Roar Guru
I'm hurt peterk,love to have a beer with you one day :)
PeterK
Roar Guru
what an incredible failure of logic
PeterK
Roar Guru
Brown executed a lifting tackle on AAC similar to the one Horne was suspended for.
PeterK
Roar Guru
Jibba Jabba - As usual you are full of it
PeterK
Roar Guru
you do realise Connor33 specifically said Hooper and Pocock would be immune, hence my response. Another AB fan who believes every statement has to do with the AB's or one of their players.
PeterK
Roar Guru
that has changed then since I looked into it a number of years ago, I apologise. Mate you would not accept the fact that to be cited the incident had to reach a red card threshold
BeastieBoy
Guest
Gee the penalty was so soft. he was just clearing out. Whereas a head hunter that hit him, had nothing happen. Its getting all too soft. Please do not put Cooper on the bench.
Roberts
Guest
I see what your saying BP and it is frustrating I agree. The fact that it has happened to hooper a number of times does seem unfair but maybe he had unfortunately been made example of on a couple of occasions and there is no real correlation. So that's why burgess wasn't further penalised as they are not trying to crack down on high tackles.... As a side note hooper said he was surprised himself that he was facing the judiciary, I'm sure he has been involved in one or two rucks to know you get shouldered every now and then...
Dave_S
Guest
Soapit, I speculated on this in another post - if Hooper and McMahon style players become fashionable in rugby then it really opens the doors for a lot of league forwards to cross over as ultra-loose rugby forwards. They won't be very involved over the ball but would be ideal as hard tackling and ball distributing link men. As it is, I think a lot of league back rowers would make fine no.12s like SBW - he is a highly skilled but not freakish example of a league forward. Plenty of them have better passing games, eg Greg Bird
cs
Roar Guru
Egad! bazza is multiplying!
rasty
Guest
From a casual observer, I think you just got smashed cs, but I know your type just keep going.