AUSTRALIA OPENSIDE MICHAEL Hooper has been cited under Law 10.4(h) after Australia’s win over England in Twickenham on Saturday.
Referee Romaine Poite awarded a penalty against Hooper for charging in to Mike Brown as he stood part of a ruck near the end of the first half.
Independent commissioner Steve Hinds (New Zealand) has called him in for a further disciplinary hearing as the act appears in contravention of Law 10.4(h): charging into a ruck or maul without use of the arms or grasping the player.
Hooper’s hearing will take place tomorrow morning in London and with Alan Hudson (Canada) the presiding judicial officer.
If Hooper is found guilty and no extraneous factors (such as previous good behaviour, for example) are taken into account, then he could miss Australia’s Pool A decider against Wales as well as the quarter-final. The offence usually carries a recommended punishment of two weeks at the low end of the scale, rising to 10 weeks at the top end.
England’s Sam Burgess has received a warning for from the citing commissioner for a dangerous high tackle in the 71st minute of the game, but has not been cited. Samoa’s Ofisa Treviranus has also received a warning for the same offence against Japan.