SANZAR have lodged an appeal over the one-week ban handed to Australia\u2019s Michael Hooper by one of their own judicial officers.<\/p>\n
Hooper on the charge against Ireland last November. Source: Colm O’Neill\/INPHO<\/p>\n
Hooper was yesterday suspended for a single game after being found guilty of\u00a0striking Argentina out-half Nicol\u00e1s\u00a0S\u00e1nchez\u00a0during the Wallabies\u2019 meeting with the Pumas last weekend in Mendoza.<\/p>\n
The one-week sentence dished out by SANZAR judicial officer\u00a0Nigel Hampton meant Hooper would only have missed club side Manly\u2019s\u00a0Shute Shield match against Randwick tomorrow, the Wallabies having conveniently made him available for that fixture.<\/p>\n
Hooper was therefore set to be free to play against New Zealand on 8 August in the Rugby Championship decider, but SANZAR have confirmed that they have lodged an appeal against Hooper\u2019s suspension.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
That comes after\u00a0independent appeals review officer Graeme Mew, a Canadian, found grounds for the appeal.<\/p>\n
Source: new viral7\/YouTube<\/p>\n
A\u00a0SANZAR appeals committee will now hear the case in a\u00a0video conference on Sunday, with Hooper now back in danger of missing the Bledisloe Cup encounter against the Kiwis in two weekends\u2019 time, and potentially more games thereafter.<\/p>\n
In response, the Australian Rugby Union has released a statement expressing that it is \u201cextremely disappointed\u201d at SANZAR\u2019s appeal and promised to \u201cvigorously\u00a0defend\u201d Hooper.<\/p>\n
Indeed, the ARU says it intends to\u00a0cross-appeal the original finding by judicial officer\u00a0Hampton that Hooper was\u00a0guilty of committing foul play.<\/p>\n
The openside flanker\u2019s ban, which came under\u00a0Law 10.4 (a) \u00a0for punching or striking, was only one week after Hampton found that Hooper\u2019s hand had been open when he struck Sanchez and that a\u00a0\u201cdeliberate, illegal and an act of considerable provocation\u201d was involved.<\/p>\n
Watch this space.<\/p>\n
De Villiers set for return as Springboks issue optimistic RWC injury update\u2018The big thing is that we don\u2019t overestimate the talent in the Southern Hemisphere\u2019 <\/p><\/div>\n
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