Quill, Matu'u banned for high tackles at Rugby World Cup

Tokyo - USA flanker John Quill and Samoa's Motu Matu'u were both slapped with three-game bans on Friday following a crackdown on high tackles at the Rugby World Cup.

Quill received his suspension for a late high shot on England's Owen Farrell, while Matu'u was punished for his tackle on Russia's Vasily Artemyev.

Australia wing Reece Hodge and Samoa centre Rey Lee-Lo have already been hit with three-game bans for high tackles at the World Cup, while England's Piers Francis has been cited.

World Rugby announced a clampdown on high tackles, which can sometimes cause concussion, before the quadrennial tournament, and introduced a framework to help referees decide punishments.

However, the governing body also criticised refereeing standards after the opening weekend of the tournament, following complaints over a number of incidents.