Lawes cited over knee incident

Queenstown - England lock Courtney Lawes became the first player to be cited at the Rugby World Cup on Monday for allegedly kneeing Argentina hooker Mario Ledesma in the head when making a touchline tackle.

The English delegation has been informed of the citation which will go before Independent Judicial Officer Terry Willis with a hearing to be held in Auckland on Tuesday.

England defeated Argentina 13-9 on Saturday in what was a bruising encounter in Dunedin.

Lawes was involved in a fierce tackle on Pumas centre Gonzalo Tiesi, who was later ruled out of the World Cup with a knee injury, and the incident with Ledesma.

If Lawes is found guilty of deliberately kneeing Ledesma, there is scope for Willis to impose a ban that could see the forward miss the remainder of England's World Cup campaign.

Lawes won't lack for representation at the hearing as among England's 21-strong backroom staff is lawyer Richard Smith.

England manager Martin Johnson, responding to Lawes's citing, said on Monday: "We have received notification of Courtney's citing.

"We will of course provide Rugby World Cup with any information required and attend the hearing as requested."

An England spokesperson added the team would not be making any further comment on Lawes's citing until after the hearing.

Northampton's Lawes won his 11th cap against Argentina.

The 22-year-old missed this season's Six Nations with a knee injury and was taken to hospital on a stretcher after a clash at an England trial match two weeks before last month's warm-up match against Wales in Cardiff.

Lawes, speaking before the Argentina match, emphasised the need to match the physicality of the Pumas.

"I don't mind a scuffle every now and then. I just do it because I can and it gets under their skin," said Lawes, who can also play as a flanker.

"They're going to be big and they're going to be physical, that's what they pride themselves on, but physicality's part of my game as well."

England, currently training in Queenstown, continue their Pool B campaign against Georgia when they return to Dunedin's Otago Stadium on Sunday.