An independent judiciary said it was startled that banned Wallabies winger Reece Hodge lacked knowledge of the new high tackle decision-making framework – a set of regulations that are threatening to dominate the Rugby World Cup.
On Thursday night Samoan midfielder Rey Lee-Lo became the second player to cop a three-week suspension for a high tackle, a day after Hodge failed to defend his charge and was scrubbed out of the remaining pool games.
More such sanctions seem likely over coming days as officials adhere to the strict framework guidelines introduced in May.
World Rugby wanted all coaches and players up to speed before the global tournament in Japan but it seems the message may not have reached Hodge, who was found guilty of a dangerous tackle on Fiji’s Peceli Yato.
In an 11-page report of Wednesday’s judiciary hearing. Hodge admitted to not being completely across the new sanction structure.
“The Player conceded that he had no effective knowledge of WR’s “Decision making framework for high tackles”; had not been trained on it; was not across it because the tackles he makes are predominantly in the waist to knees area,” the committee’s statement said.
“(To the Panel, this was of some general concern; and will be commented on later).”
Hodge was asked why he hadn’t apologised to Yato after the game. He replied he wasn’t aware he’d done anything that might put him under scrutiny.
The disciplinary report also outlined the injury suffered by Yato, who said he was knocked unconscious.
“I did not expect (Hodge’s) contact to be so high. From the moment he hit my face I blacked out and woke up when I was on my back,” the Fijian flanker testified.
The Wallabies are still to decide whether to appeal the ruling ahead of Sunday’s second pool match against Wales.
It was a different committee but an identical outcome for Lee-Lo, who was deemed guilty of a high tackle on Russia’s Vasily Artemyev in their pool match on Tuesday.
Under the framework, both players were deemed to have: committed an act of reckless foul play; made a high tackle, made contact with the head; invoked a high degree of danger.
World Rugby’s mandatory mid-range entry point of a six-week suspension was applied to Hodge and Lee-Lo. Both had it halved because of clean disciplinary records.
While Hodge’s ban divided commentators, there was a widespread expectation that Lee-Lo would cop a heavier ban than the Australian.
Another cited Samoan player, Motu Matu’u, was still to face the judiciary for a suspected high tackle while United States forward John Quill will automatically go through the process after being sent off for a high shot during their loss to England on Thursday.
