Banned.

Australia’s Reece Hodge has been handed a three-week ban following his controversial tackle on Fiji’s Peceli Yato in their World Cup meeting on Saturday.

Yato was forced off following a no-arms shoulder hit to the face by Hodge in the first half, but neither the referee or TMO picked up on the incident, with Hodge going on to play a pivotal role in the Wallabies’ win.

Hodge was subsequently cited and appeared before a disciplinary committee today who handed him the ban which rules him out of the remainder of the pool stages.

In considering all the available evidence, including multiple broadcast angles and submissions from Hodge and his legal representative, the committee deemed that the incident was an act of foul play and warranted a red card in line with the high tackle sanction framework. In following the framework, the committee determined:

• There was an act of foul play (which was reckless, rather than deliberate)
• The act of foul play was a high tackle
• There was contact with the head
• There was a high degree of danger

Given the above outcomes, the committee determined that the act of foul play warranted a red card.