Wallabies' Reece Hodge gets three-match ban for dangerous tackle
Australia's Reece Hodge will miss three World Cup matches after being found guilty of a dangerous tackle on Fiji's Peceli Yato by judicial hearing yesterday, World Rugby said in a statement.
Hodge's no-arms tackle caught the Fijian flanker in the head in the 26th minute of the Pool D opener in Sapporo on Saturday, but the Wallabies back was cleared of an offence by the matchday officials.
He was cited last Sunday and will now miss Australia's crunch match with Six Nations champions Wales on Sunday as well as the matches against Uruguay on Oct 5 and Georgia on Oct 11.
Yato, who had been the most influential player on the pitch up to that point, missed the rest of the match and was forced to sit out yesterday's 30-27 defeat by Uruguay to complete concussion protocols. - REUTERS
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now