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Australian fans furious with 'ludicrous' Reece Hodge ban
By Josh Raisey
World Rugby’s decision to ban Wallabies winger Reece Hodge for three weeks has not gone down well with the Australian public.
The Melbourne Rebels utility back faced a hearing on Wednesday following his tackle on Fiji’s Peceli Yato at the weekend. Hodge's challenge left the flanker concussed and forced him off for the rest of the game. Yato also sat out Fiji's shock loss to Uruguay.
The ban was initially for six weeks but was reduced due to Hodge's character and disciplinary record.
However, a number of former players, journalists and fans from Australia have shown their dismay at the ban, believing it sets a bad standard for the rest of the tournament.
Rugby World Cup winner and former Wallaby midfielder Tim Horan said that tacklers will have to be extremely careful for the remainder of the tournament, given the punishment that Hodge was struck with. Others have suggested that there have been far worse tackles throughout the tournament, such as in Samoa’s match with Russia (for which two Samoan players have now been cited).
Continued below...
Whilst there is little doubt that the Samoan players will receive longer bans than Hodge, it is a valid point that there have been tackles so far this RWC that have gone unnoticed and not been cited. Then again, that's not necessarily a reason to go easy on Hodge, with the majority of the rugby world thinking that his tackle deserved a red card in the match.
However, Australian fans still feel that Yato led with his head in trying to bounce Hodge, and the winger simply did not have time to lower his body to make a safer tackle. But ultimately, there was contact to the head with his shoulder, and it did clearly affect Yato.
As the officials have already faced a lot of criticism so far this RWC for missing dangerous incidents, and as head injuries are a major concern for World Rugby, Hodge was not expected to get away with his poor technique.
This has been the reaction:
Hodge is now set to miss the next three pool games, including this weekend’s clash with Wales which will likely decide who will top Pool D.
Fortunately for Australia, he will be back in time for the quarter-finals.
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Latest Comments
We beat Wales. Oh wow.
Go to commentsAs has been the way all year, and for all England's play I can remember. I missed a lot of the better years under Eddie though.
Lets have a look at the LQB for the last few games... 41% under 3 sec compared to 56% last week, 47% in the game you felt England best in against NZ, and 56 against Ireland.
That was my impression as well. Dunno if that is a lack of good counterattack ball from the D, forward dominance (Post Contact Meters stats reversed yesterday compared to that fast Ireland game), or some Borthwick scheme, but I think that has been highlighted as Englands best point of difference this year with their attack, more particularly how they target using it in certain areas. So depending on how you look at it, not necessarily the individual players.
You seem to be falling into the same trap as NZs supporters when it comes to Damien McKenzie. That play you highlight Slade in wasn't one of those LQB situations from memory, that was all on the brilliance of Smith. Sure, Slade did his job in that situation, but Smith far exceeded his (though I understand it was a move Sleightholme was calling for). But yeah, it's not always going to be on a platter from your 10 and NZ have been missing that Slade line, in your example, more often than not too. When you go back to Furbank and Feyi-Waboso returns you'll have that threat again. Just need to generate that ball, wait for some of these next Gen forwards to come through etc, the props and injured 6 coming back to the bench. I don't think you can put Earl back to 7, unless he spends the next two years speeding up (which might be good for him because he's getting beat by speed like he's not used to not having his own speed to react anymore).
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