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Wallabies winger Reece Hodge has been scrubbed out of pool play at the Rugby World Cup after being found guilty of a dangerous tackle at a judicial hearing in Tokyo.
Versatile winger Hodge was handed a three-game suspension by a three-man independent judiciary, who deemed his high tackle on forward Peceli Yato during Saturday’s win over Fiji in Sapporo met the red card threshold.
The ban means Hodge will miss Sunday’s second pool match against Wales and also games against Uruguay and Georgia. He’ will become available if the Wallabies qualify for the quarter-finals.
An obviously disappointed Hodge didn’t speak to waiting journalists, departing through a separate exit from the hearing, which was held at an inner-city law firm.
The result will be greeted grimly by a Wallabies team who expected they could successfully challenge the red card grading for the offence.
Management are yet to decide if they will appeal the ban within the 48-hour window allowed.
Yato was concussed and forced out of the game by the 26th minute tackle, which probably prevented a try.
Footage of the incident suggested Hodge had made contact with Yato’s head and he hadn’t wrapped his arms around the hulking flanker.
Judicial committee chairman Nigel Hampton, Scotland’s Frank Hadden and Argentina’s Jose Luis Rolandi determined the incident was an act of foul play that was reckless rather than deliberate.
In a statement, the committee said contact with Yato’s head meant there was a high degree of danger involved and that a six-week ban was warranted.
That sanction was halved because of Hodge’s exemplary disciplinary record and his conduct at the hearing.
World Rugby recently updated their disciplinary laws to read: “Any act of foul play which results in contact with the head and/or neck shall result in at least a mid-range sanction (six weeks).”
Hodge’s lawyers argued Hodge was bracing for a collision and that his initial contact was with Yato’s arm. They said the winger had moved his head late in a bid to avoid contact with Yato’s head.
Coach Michael Cheika was irate this week that the tackle was cited in the first place as it had been cleared by matchday officials, even after being reviewed by the television match official.
He said he was led to believe a citing officer would only come over the top of matchday officials if an offence was deemed “clear and obvious”, which he said the Hodge tackle wasn’t.
The outcome should mean a starting promotion for winger Dane Haylett-Petty off the bench for Sunday’s clash with the Welsh.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.