Australia flanker Michael Hooper’s hopes of facing New Zealand in Sydney next week in their final Rugby Championship game suffered a blow on Friday when the governing body of southern hemisphere rugby Sanzar launched an appeal against the one-week ban he was handed for striking Argentina’s Nicolas Sanchez.
The Australian Rugby Union (ARU) responded to the decision by saying it intended to not only vigorously defend Hooper against further punishment but also appeal the original ban.
The former Australia captain landed the blow after being held back by fly-half Sanchez while trying to support Dean Mumm as the lock charged to the line to score a try in Australia’s 34-9 victory in Mendoza last weekend.
After six hours of deliberations over Wednesday and Thursday, the judicial officer handed Hooper a two-week ban for “striking or punching”, which was reduced to one week because of his exemplary record.
Although Australia do not have a Test this weekend, Hooper will miss a match for his club Manly and then be free to play for his country in the championship decider against New Zealand in Sydney next Saturday.
Sanzar, however, said on Friday that an appeal against the punishment would be heard by a three-man committee on Sunday, a decision that left the ARU “extremely disappointed”.
“The ARU will vigorously defend the Sanzar appeal on the severity of the sanction handed to the player,” the ARU said in a statement.
“Furthermore, the ARU intends to cross-appeal the judicial officer’s original finding that the player was guilty of committing an act of foul play.”
Judicial officer Nigel Hampton said in his finding that the flanker “had struck out at the opponent’s head and neck area with his open hand” and that Hooper’s affection for his club meant that missing the game was a punishment.
Australia coach Michael Cheika likely will be furious at the distraction ahead of such a big match as they seek to win the competition for the first time since 2011, particularly as he felt Hooper had been guilty of no more violence than would be used in a hand-off or fend.
“We’re still disappointed that he was found guilty because he was really adamant about the open hand and the push to the back,” Cheika said on Friday.
Although Australia also have David Pocock to fill the No 7 shirt, Cheika has used both openside flankers in the closing stages of the first two matches of the championship, which saw them defeat South Africa and Argentina.
Both Australia and New Zealand have 100 per cent records from their two matches in the Rugby Championship, which is shortened this year due to the Rugby World cup starting next month in England. Australia top the table thanks to have a superior points difference, albeit by one point.
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