Vodacom Super Rugby
Cooper banned for Sharks tie
2012-07-16 11:28
Brisbane - Reds flyhalf Quade Cooper will miss
Saturday's Super Rugby playoff against the Sharks in Brisbane
after it was ruled he had committed a dangerous tackle last weekend,
governing body SANZAR said on Monday.
The Australia
international was sent to the sinbin and cited for a high tackle on Waratahs back Berrick Barnes during the 32-16 victory which
secured the defending champion's place in the playoffs.
The mercurial flyhalf was the subject of a SANZAR judicial hearing on Monday, following which he was suspended for a week.
"Whilst in the process of a tackle on Berrick Barnes, there was
principle contact with the chest but also with the neck such as to make
the tackle dangerous in contravention of Law 10.4(e)," SANZAR said in a
statement.
"...It is also a matter of significance that the
SANZAR rules allow consideration be given to the importance of games to
be played during the Super Rugby finals series and as such, this has
been taken into account as a mitigating circumstance.
"It follows that Quade Cooper is suspended from all forms of Rugby for one week up to and including July 21."
Cooper's absence is a huge blow to the Reds, who are now likely to move Mike Harris across from inside centre to flyhalf against the Sharks.
Cooper missed Australia's June
internationals after failing to recover sufficiently from the
knee injury that ended his Rugby World Cup last October.
Barnes, who
was forced off the pitch by the tackle from his fellow Wallaby last
Saturday, stepped in at flyhalf in place of Cooper and played an
outstanding series as Australia swept Six Nations champions Wales 3-0.