Former Gloucester star faces SANZAAR disciplinary panel over allegation of foul play

Melbourne centre Billy Meakes must front the SANZAAR judicial committee after being cited for alleged foul play during the Rebels' Super Rugby win over the Sunwolves on Saturday night.

Meakes was cited by the SANZAAR Foul Play Review Committee for his second half tackle on Sunwolves centre Jason Emery.

The Wallaby hopeful wasn't penalised for the 66th minute tackle at the time.

Meakes is alleged to have contravened Law 9.13: "A player must not tackle an opponent early, late or dangerously."

The hearing will be held by video conference with De Wet Barry, Chris Smith and a yet to be confirmed chairperson making up the judicial committee.

The Rebels are threatening to run away with conference honours and leave Australia's traditional Super Rugby heavyweights scrambling desperately for a finals berth.

The Rebels could kick 12 competition points clear of their nearest Australian pursuers if they topple the Stormers in Melbourne on Friday night after they spanked the Sunwolves 42-15 to seize command of the conference.

Such a scenario would leave the NSW Waratahs facing a must-win encounter against the Rebels in a fortnight to retain any control of their own finals fate following yet another disappointing narrow defeat on Saturday.

The Waratahs have a bye week to stew over their 32-29 loss to the Blues at Eden Park before trying to revive their season against an impressive Rebels outfit that looks increasingly like to provide the bulk of Michael Cheika's 2019 Wallabies line-up.