Hodge cited for vicious tackle
AUSTRALIA winger Reece Hodge was cited yesterday for a dangerous tackle on Fiji flanker Peceli Yato in their Rugby World Cup group game and could be facing a ban of between two and 10 weeks.
Hodge’s shoulder made contact with Yato’s head and neck area while making the try-saving tackle on the Fijian in the first half of Australia’s 39-21 win in Sapporo on Saturday. Hodge didn’t appear to use his arms in making the tackle.
World Rugby said Hodge will attend a disciplinary hearing in Tokyo on a date to be confirmed. If he’s found guilty, Hodge will be banned for at least two weeks unless there are mitigating factors. His ban could be as much as 6-10 weeks if the disciplinary panel views the offense as serious.
The imposing utility back has played 38 tests for Australia and scored one of the Wallabies’ six tries in the win over Fiji. Two-time champion Australia is set to face Six Nations winner Wales in a crucial Pool D match next Sunday.
Yato left the field with concussion after the tackle and missed the rest of the match. He could be ruled out of Fiji’s next game against Uruguay on Wednesday.
Fiji players complained about the tackle at the time of the incident and asked referee Ben O’Keefe to refer it to the Television Match Official. But neither took any action.
Until the tackle, Yato was among the best players on the field and had the Australians under constant pressure.
He had already scored one try and Fiji was leading Australia when the big, powerful backrower had to leave the field. Fiji coach John McKee said losing Yato had a “big impact” on the game as Australia rallied.
Elsewhere, New Zealand coach Steve Hansen has welcomed a tweak to the head injury assessment rules after flanker Sam Cane missed the second half against South Africa.
Cane was called for a head injury assessment while in the changing room at halftime of the pool match on Saturday in Yokohama. Unfortunately, the testing room was on the other side of the stadium. By the time he reached the room and was tested, the 10-minute limit for returning to the game had long passed. Cane was cleared, but had to sit out the second half of New Zealand’s 23-13 win.
New Zealand raised the issue with match officials, and World Rugby changed the rule for this tournament and certain stadiums, only.
“With immediate effect, the official 10-minute HIA window will commence from the moment the temporarily replaced player enters the HIA room, rather than when the player leaves the playing area,” World Rugby said in a statement. “This is to facilitate slightly longer distances to the HIA room from the field of play at some of the venues.”
Hansen was satisfied that “common sense” prevailed.
“I wasn’t overly happy about it last night when one of (our) best players is missing 40 minutes of the game. But it is what it is,” Hansen said yesterday. He said World Rugby had “shown good leadership”.
(AP)