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Jim Tucker From: News Limited newspapers August 28, 2011 9:15am
AUSTRALIA'S upbeat Rugby World Cup build-up has been rattled by the likelihood that match-winner Quade Cooper will be rubbed out by suspension covering the start of the tournament next month.
Flyhalf Cooper was cited for a knee to the head of All Blacks captain Richie McCaw in the second half of Satrurday night's pulsating 25-20 win at Suncorp Stadium.
The win broke a 10-year drought in the Tri-Nations for Australia but the judiciary fallout is of major concern.
Television footage shows Cooper's knee making glancing contact with the side of McCaw's face in the 55th minute.
All Blacks lock Brad Thorn clearly thought there was something in it because he immediately wrestled with Cooper.
Cooper and McCaw were involved in several niggly incidents during the Test which follows on from last year's Test in Hong Kong when the Queenslander shoved McCaw after James O'Connor's match-sealing try.
A judiciary hearing will be held in Brisbane this afternoon.
Cooper already has a two-Test ban on his record for a "tipping" tackle last year.
Any suspension would eliminate the playmaker from Australia's opening Cup match against Italy in Auckland on September 11.
After the match, Cooper said: "I can't remember any incident. In rugby, bodies are colliding left, right and centre (all the time)."
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/spo...-1226123740698