Wallabies winger Reece Hodge will miss the rest of Australia's World Cup pool matches, suspended for three weeks by the World Rugby judiciary for a dangerous tackle on Fiji flanker Peceli Yato.
Hodge was cited for a hit on Yato in the 25th minute of their World Cup clash and the panel came to their verdict after a marathon four-hour hearing on Wednesday afternoon in Tokyo.
The entry point for the offence was six matches, the mandatory starting point for any mid-range offence but that wasultimately reduced to three matches - the same entry point and suspension that was handed out to All Black Scott Barrett earlier this year after a dangerous clean out on Wallabies captain Michael Hooper.
World Rugby in July updated their disciplinary framework 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."
In a statement released on Wednesday evening, World Rugby said Hodge's tackle was deemed to be a red card offence as part of the high tackle framework, which includes reckless foul play, that it was a high tackle, that there was contact to the head and that there was a "high degree of danger".
Hodge's potential six-match suspension was halved on account of his good disciplinary record, "character and conduct at the hearing".
So Reece Hodge has been banned for 3 weeks for this tackle on Peceli Yato in the @wallabies v @fijirugby game at the @rugbyworldcup. Do you agree with the outcome? For what it’s worth I do.pic.twitter.com/bs7bnQbd1J
— Andy Goode (@AndyGoode10) September 25, 2019
Australia is understood to have initially argued that Hodge was bracing for contact in the collision, looking to take a tackle rather than contact with the head and then that the winger was unsighted, turning his head away from Yato in a bid to avoid a head clash and that Yato's changing body height was a mitigating factor in the incident.
All of their arguments were dismissed by the judiciary and Hodge was ultimately rubbed out for the remainder of the pool matches.
He will be available to play in the quarter-finals and the Wallabies are on track to make that knockout stage after their opening win against Fiji.
The Wallabies have 48 hours to appeal but are yet to decide whether they will take up the option.
I'm all for the safety and welfare of rugby players. But 3 weeks for Reece Hodge tackle puts ALL @rugbyworldcup players on notice. #itsnottouchfooty @FOXRUGBY
— Tim Horan (@TimHoran12) September 25, 2019
Wallabies coach MIchael Cheika said earlier this week that Fiji's decision to refer the Hodge incident to the citing commissioner wasn't "in the spirit of the game" and that the citing was at odds with the message given by citing commissioner manager Steve Hinds and referees boss Alain Rolland at a pre-tournament meeting in Tokyo.
"I think they're looking to have a bit more empathy for the game, footballing situations," he said.
"Why I say disappointing in the fact is, Steven Hinds mentioned that if a team of four (referees) had dealt with it it on the day that it would have to be clear and obvious for it to get cited.
"So they're working together as a team, they were talking about calibration, I think was their buzz word, and I think it was pretty clear that all the officials dealt with it on the day and I think if you've seen from the conjecture around and the majority of footballers, rugby players from the past who have have said it's not an illegal tackle, that it's not clear and obvious even in that point of view, so i was surprised that it was cited."
Hodge was one of three players cited from the first weekend of Rugby World Cup matches with Samoan duo Rey Lee-Lo and Motu Matu'u also set to face dangerous tackle hearings this week.
The Wallabies play Wales on Sunday in a match likely to decide the winner of Pool D, with Dane Haylett-Petty looming as the most likely replacement for Hodge in the Wallabies' matchday 23.
