Wallabies appeal 'excessive' ban
Mon, 26 Jul 2010 09:28
Quade Cooper: An excessive ban. (c) Gallo
Australia have appealed against what they feel is an "excessive" two-match ban handed down to flyhalf Quade Cooper.
The Wallabies lodged the appeal on Monday.
SANZAR said in a statement the appeal was lodged by the Australian Rugby Union on Cooper's behalf.
Details of when the appeal will be heard will be advised on Tuesday. However, it is likely the actual hearing would not take place till Wednesday.
The panel will consist of three judicial officers - one from each Tri-Nations country.
The Wallabies declined to reveal any details of their appeal, but earlier reports claimed that the Wallabies were "angry" because Cooper's ban was "comparatively heavier" than those handed out for similar offences to two South African players.
Cooper was suspended for two weeks after being cited for a dangerous tackle during Australia's 30-13 Tri-Nations victory over South Africa in Brisbane at the weekend. Cooper will miss the Wallabies' back-to-back Bledisloe Cup/Tri-Nations Tests against the All Blacks - in Melbourne on Saturday and in Christchurch the following week.
His ban follows the tip-tackle (in his case more of a spear tackle) on Bok flyhalf Morné Steyn in the 54th minute of the match.
Bok centre Jean de Villiers was suspended for two weeks, but it covered just one Tri-Nations match, with the other week involving a Currie Cup fixture.
Fellow Bok centre Jaque Fourie was also suspended at the weekend for four weeks – covering four matches – after being cited for a dangerous tackle on Wallabies back row forward Richard Brown in the early minutes of the Brisbane Test. His ban involves one Tri-Nations match, as well as three Currie Cup games.
Both Cooper and Fourie appeared before SANZAR Judicial Officer Bruce Squire of New Zealand in Brisbane on Sunday.
Squire found Cooper guilty of a breach of Law 10.4 (j).
He compared the offence to that of De Villiers the previous week, for which the South African was suspended for two weeks.
"This is consistent application in terms of like penalties for like offences," Squire said in a statement.
The entry point for a low grade lifting tackle offence is three weeks. Taking into account mitigating circumstances, including Cooper's good record, Squire handed down a penalty of two weeks with the suspension ending on August 8.
Fourie was suspended for four weeks – covering four matches.
His ban, to end on August 22, will include three Currie Cup matches for which Fourie would have been considered for selection plus the Tri-Nations Test against New Zealand on August 21.
Squire found Fourie guilty of a breach of Law 10.4 (j) and considered the offence at the lower end of severity.
Entry point for a low grade lifting tackle offence is three matches, but Squire took into account that Fourie was suspended last year for a similar offence.
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