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AAP
October 05, 2015 9:46PM
THE Wallabies could be without vice-captain Michael Hooper for the crunch Rugby World Cup match with Wales after the key forward was cited for alleged foul play in Saturday’s victory over England.
The flanker was cited over an incident late in the first half of the 33-13 belting at Twickenham, where he cleared out England fullback Mike Brown in the ruck, World Rugby announced on Monday.
He has been cited for allegedly “charging into the ruck or maul without use of the arms or grasping the player”.
Hooper, who was penalised but not yellow-carded for the incident, faces a hearing in London on Tuesday.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/ru...-1227558042688
Sean McMahon backed to replace cited Hooper
Iain Payten
The Daily Telegraph
October 06, 2015 5:32AM
SKIPPER Stephen Moore is confident young gun Sean McMahon can step up for the Wallabies if star flanker Michael Hooper is suspended for charging into England fullback Mike Brown with his shoulder at a ruck during their victory at the weekend.
Hooper was cited late on Monday night (AEST) and will face a hearing at 8pm on Tuesday night after a citing commissioner found he’d allegedly performed an act of foul play contrary to law 10.4 (charging into a ruck or maul without use of the arms or grasping the player) in the last minute of the first half at Twickenham.
Referee Romain Poite was happy with a penalty only but, as is the requirement to be cited, Kiwi citing commissioner Steve Hind determined Hooper’s actions could have justified a red card.
The Wallabies will firmly defend the charge but given Hooper only uses one arm — not both — and World Rugby are hot on protecting the head and neck, there is a gloomy feel. Officious box-ticking judicial officers have suspended players for less.
The entry point suspension for the offence is two weeks, and it can go much higher.
“I can’t really comment too much on the incident and we haven’t thought about him being suspended,” Moore said overnight.
“We are planning for him to play and we hope for the best possible outcome. If anything other than happens, we will have to deal with it.”
Losing Hooper would be a huge blow but if there is a small mercy for the Wallabies, it is there is no shortage of in-form reserves ready to step in.
McMahon, who was superb against Uruguay in a man-of-the-match effort, could potentially come in at no. 7, or in-form Ben McCalman could play no. 8 and David Pocock moves back to open side.
“Every chance he (McMahon) has got to play for Australia, he’s been outstanding,” Moore said.
“He was man of the match a couple of times. He is a quality player, and has shown that a couple of times for the Rebels and at training he’s just been terrific. He’s been ripping in at training. He’s ready to go if he’s needed.
”We have some quality in that part of the team. The guys who are playing are doing a good job.”
Meanwhile, Sam Burgess has escaped a date with the judiciary for his high shot on Hooper. Despite collecting him across the chin, the same citing officer only deemed that worthy of a Commissioner’s warning, or in effect, a post-game yellow card.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/ru...-1227558236275
80 Minutes, 15 Positions, No Protection, Wanna Ruck?
Ruck Me, Maul Me, Make Me Scrum!
Education is Important, but Rugby is Importanter!
1. Can't believe Burgess gets a warning and Hooper gets a hearing. Where was that citing commissioner from again??
2. Have any other of the RWC "no arm" tackles which have been penalised and in some cases carded, been taken to a hearing??
3. I think putting Sean in for Wales (if required) ahead of Big Dog is the right move, better that game than one with even more pressure. Big Dog is very versatile in the back row and needed on the bench. In the same way I would expect Drew to get the start over Beale should Horne not play. Beale too versatile in the backs.
80 Minutes, 15 Positions, No Protection, Wanna Ruck?
Ruck Me, Maul Me, Make Me Scrum!
Education is Important, but Rugby is Importanter!
They must have ruled he hit Mike Brown in the vagina too hard.
I can handle a one week suspension he should have used his arms. If it is any longer than 1 week it is a joke.
I think the article mentioned a 2 game minimum. If he's found guilty it'll be 2 weeks unless there are mitigating circumstances.
I don't think the fact that Mike Brown is a whingeing pussy is a mitigating factor (but would have to check on that!)
TIF, I agree wholeheartedly on point 1. The head high tackle law was insane at the start of the tournament, but now the pendulum seems to have swung to the complete opposite. I thought Burgess was lucky not to be carded based upon others I've seen to this point, whereas Hooper was reckless, admittedly, and didn't really use his arms (you could probably make an argument that he was trying to use his arms, but it's a long bow in my opinion) but IMHO the penalty was fair, particularly since I'm not aware of any other no arm cleanouts being cited.
I'd suggest this is a way of the RWC organisers appeasing the English public by giving them a villain to blame that isn't Stuart Lancaster.
Last edited by GIGS20; 06-10-15 at 13:59.
C'mon the![]()
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there was one in the ireland italy game
contact to the head and neck, yellow card.
Hearing commences today at 6pm Perth Time.
80 Minutes, 15 Positions, No Protection, Wanna Ruck?
Ruck Me, Maul Me, Make Me Scrum!
Education is Important, but Rugby is Importanter!
Hooper banned for 1 week - will miss Wales match only.
Wallabies vice-captain Michael Hooper will miss Saturday's World Cup clash with Wales after copping a one-week ban for foul play stemming from last weekend's stunning victory over England.
Hooper pleaded guilty to the offence at a two-hour judiciary hearing in London on Tuesday, ruling him out of Australia's final group match - which will decide who tops Pool A and earns the easier draw through the competition's knock-out stages.
The 23-year-old was cited for a dangerous clear out of England fullback Mike Brown where the independent citing commissioner Steve Hinds found he had charged "into a ruck or maul without the use of arms or grasping the player" during Saturday's 33-13 win at Twickenham.
The result should be considered a win for the Wallabies, as Hooper faced the potential of a tournament-ending suspension had his actions been deemed mid-range.
The base level for the charge normally carries a two-week ban, but Hooper was given a lighter sentence as the judiciary took into account his contrition, good on and off-field record and good behaviour during the hearing.
He will therefore be free to play in Australia's quarter-final clash - which will be determined by their result against Wales.
Should they win, Australia will face the runner up from Pool B - likely to be Scotland or Japan.
A loss would set up a heavyweight showdown with the Pool B winner, which is expected to be South Africa.
Coach Michael Cheika will name his team on Thursday, but already has two ready-made replacements to call on.
In tyro Sean McMahon and the tough-as-teak Ben McCalman the Wallabies have two gifted back-rowers who have already impressed at this World Cup and are ideal stop-gap options.
Wallabies skipper Stephen Moore was confident there was enough depth in the squad to cover the short-term loss of Hooper and heaped praise on young McMahon.
"I think every chance (McMahon has) got to play for Australia so far he's been outstanding," he said. "He's been man of the match a couple of times. He's a quality player and he's shown that for the Rebels.
"And at training he's just been terrific, really ripping in every training. He's ready to go if he's needed."
Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/world/2015/1...vJuOZv0wf2z.99
Wasnt Hooper named in the Manly side for a mid week match? Can serve the one game ban there
One week, not one game
C'mon the![]()
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meh! technicality!
In one way, if Hooper had been carded it would have been the high point of the competition, (if not life), for Brown. In an era where the fly-half has taken the kicking duties, English fullbacks have excelled in grasping at thin air, and performing "free-form installations", representing speed bumps. Brown has done less, at last check he hadn't followed most of his predecessors, and qualified as a doctor. Unfortunately for Hooper, Brown happened to be "fannying"about at the breakdown, and Hooper took exception. As a result Brown has a chance of overtaking Dusty Hare, and Jonathon Webb as Englands "hardest" fullback.
Dusty Hare - a blast from the past.
Holds the record for the most number of points in first class rugby - 7,337 from 595 games covering 17 seasons.
Carter has about half that number (he's closing in on 3,600) in 282 games in 13 years.
That's a similar number of points per game (so rugby might not have changed that much) but Carter plays 22 games a year; Hare played 35 a year on average!
Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon