Rugby-Australia winger Hodge banned for three matches for dangerous tackle

Australia winger Reece Hodge will miss three World Cup matches after being found guilty of a dangerous tackle on Fiji's Peceli Yato by judicial hearing on Wednesday, World Rugby said in a statement. Hodge's no-arms tackle caught Fijian flanker in the head in the 26th minute of the Pool D opener in Sapporo on Saturday but the Wallabies back was cleared of an offence by the matchday officials.

He was cited on Sunday and will now miss Australia's crunch match with Six Nations champions Wales on Sunday as well as the matches against Uruguay on Oct. 5 and Georgia on Oct. 11. Yato, who had been the most influential player on the pitch up to that point, missed the rest of the match and was forced to sit out Wednesday's match against Uruguay in Kamaishi to complete concussion protocols.