Wallabies flanker Dean Mumm has been cleared to face England at Twickenham on Saturday (Sunday 0130 AEDT) by a World Rugby independent disciplinary committee.
Mumm was sin-binned in the second minute of Australia’s 27-24 loss to Ireland after a lifting tackle on Tadhg Furlong at Aviva Stadium and subsequently cited for the offence.
The 32-year-old appeared at a hearing in London on Tuesday where he was informed no further action would be taken against him.
The NSW Waratahs forward sat before a three-man disciplinary committee chaired by Welshman Simon Thomas, who accepted his argument that although the tackle warranted a yellow card it wasn’t a red card offence and he should be free to play.
“It didn’t meet the red card threshold and that was backed up by the disciplinary committee,” Wallabies coach Michael Cheika said.
“It was a good result.”
News of Mumm’s clearance was tempered by a second rebuttal from French side Stade Francais over the availability of halfback Will Genia.
Genia left Dublin on Sunday to return to Paris while the rest of the squad jetted into London to prepare to face an England side unbeaten in 14 games under former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones.
Cheika had hoped his decision to allow Genia to sit out the dead rubber against New Zealand in Auckland earlier this year so he could play for his club would work in his side’s favour.
However, after Saturday’s loss to Ireland scuppered any hopes of a first grand slam in 32 years, the Paris side insisted the former Queensland Red return to the French capital ahead of Saturday’s game against Bayonne.
Cheika, who coached Stade between 2010 and 2012, approached club powerbrokers again on Tuesday but was knocked back, with Nick Phipps in line to deputise once more after impressing against Wales earlier this month.
“They obviously place more importance on their game for Will than our international,” he said.
“That’s the way the rules are, so we’ll just have to deal with it.”
Five-eighth Bernard Foley said he fully expects England to target him and Phipps but vowed the Australia playmakers wouldn’t allow themselves to be disrupted as they were in the 3-0 series loss in Australia earlier this year.
“I think it’s just being smart in how we engage in the play and we just pick and choose our times,” Foley said.
“In the June series, they came with a pretty simple but well executed plan and did a really good job for them.
“So, for us its just managing the game as best we can and allowing us to probably be more accurate, especially at the breakdown and in our starters so that we’re probably not as involved or not falling into the trap of getting targeted.”
Doubles
Guest
Frank Frank That's all he does?? is it?? hahaha.. .OMG
This is serious Mumm
Guest
Far out, the poms will be quaking in their boots.
Wardad
Guest
Mumm it seems has managed to stuff 2 teams what with his errant elbow keeping Retallick out of the Chicago test !
Bman
Guest
Mumm will be captain coach.
riddler
Guest
why this continual stuff about photos.. how old are you guys? it is not under tens when your mate's dad always picked his son over you.. probably because you were very ordinary..
CUW
Guest
Cheika will need to pick 4 on the back row, given the English will have more or less 3 blindsides :D
Frank Frank
Roar Pro
or he is really good at securing ball from lineouts....
Frank Frank
Roar Pro
how did Timani go against wales and scotland? got smashed. I bet england would be really worried about him being 'unleashed'
Smiggle Jiggle
Roar Guru
Mumm must have photos of a lot of people in rugby. This guy is gold.
MelR
Guest
Mumm cost us points yet again against Ireland! Lets hope he is sitting in the stands come game day.Hope they unleash Timani and Mac and that the locks get the memo?!?!
CUW
Guest
the England 25 is very clear cut. so the conventional wisdom says they will have Robshaw , Wood , Hughes on 3rd row and Harry as backup. clearly they lack speed but have power and height advantage. their 2nd row is also more or less Kruis and Lawes with either Ewels or Atwood as backup. what we all know is that England are very capable at set pices , especially lineouts (while some may say they resort to dirty tricks at scrums). auzzy 2nd row is also clear - Simmons and Arnold. the question is how will he want the 3rd row ? does he concentrate on line out ? or does he concentrate on the power ? is it Mumm or Timani (coz the other two are more or less fixtures)
Perthstayer
Roar Rookie
That Australians are hoping one of their own is suspended speaks volumes on Cheika's selection "skill". Suspension or injury have seen many of the Roarers selection changes met, many of which have been proven correct - Coleman, Arnold, Hodge, Kerevi. Perhaps a "Roar consensus" should be on the Selection panel!
jameswm
Roar Guru
Mumm was at his worst against Ireland. Will be interesting to see if Cheika picks him. I think he'll go back to the Hooper-Pocock-Timani back row.
Machooka
Roar Guru
:)
piru
Guest
Clearly refs and the IRB are baised against Australia letting Mumm play
Machooka
Roar Guru
You could be right still... but let's see what Cheika selects before we get our knickers in a knot :)
stillmissit
Roar Guru
MahChooka: I also hope he has learnt that hanging around, looking at where the runners are and waving his arms is a guarantee to get 'ragged dolled'. Him in and Mumm not out, is a recipe for disaster and may ruin my call that we will beat England on Saturday.
stillmissit
Roar Guru
Oh! NOOOOO.. The double nutcracker suite.
Machooka
Roar Guru
I'm not ging to talk about my Mumm... but I will say that I hope Phipps now knows what being 'ragged-dolled' is all about and thus will demand some protection from his piggies.
Doubles
Guest
IRB you have a lot to answer for ...Blatant favouritism towards England..