Fuming Fiji coach lashes out at Michael Cheika’s claim that Fiji didn’t act in the spirit of rugby
Wallaby coach Michael Cheika has set off a war of words with his Fiji counterpart John McKee with the pair at odds over the decision to cite Australian winger Reece Hodge.
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Fuming Fiji coach John McKee has lashed back at Michael Cheika after the Wallabies coach accused the Pacific Islanders of not acting in the spirit of rugby when they referred Australian winger Reece Hodge to the citing commissioner.
Cheika didn’t hold back in criticising Fiji’s decision to formally complain about Hodge’s try-saving tackle on Peceli Yato in Australia’s World Cup win in Sapporo after the incident was reviewed on the field and the Wallaby winger was cleared of wrongdoing.
Hodge has since been charged with “an act of foul play” after Fiji escalated the matter, and he now faces a possible suspension if he’s found guilty when he fronts the judiciary in Tokyo on Wednesday.
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“I prefer they come up to me and get upset with me if they were really upset about it, not to then talk to me in that nice sort of friendly chitty-chat way and then put in a referral,” an unimpressed Cheika said.
Riled by Cheika’s comments, New Zealand-born McKee argued he was within his rights to cite Hodge after Yato was forced to leave the field with concussion, meaning he will also miss Fiji’s next match against Uruguay.
“From our side, we lost a player who was nearly the most influential player on the park at the time of the game for the rest of the game, and because of the head injury he can’t play in this game either,” McKee said.
“Maybe Michael Cheika’s views of what’s within the spirit of the game are slightly different to some other people, but it’s not up to me to decide what exactly he meant by that comment.”
McKee also defended the citing process, saying the commissioner would not have proceeded with the charge against Hodge if he didn’t agree it needed further investigation.
“I think the World Rugby guidelines are quite clear around head injury assessment. Everyone is very well aware of the head injury framework and how they will be dealt with by the match officials and citing official,” McKee said.
“The process in the World Cup, it is the citing commissioner who cites people if they deem something could have been a red card offence and was missed on the field. In the citing official’s opinion, it’s a red card offence and it’s up to Australia Rugby to argue whatever they wish, and for the judiciary to decide.
Hodge will be represented by Queensland QC Mark Martin when he fronts the tribunal and Cheika said the Wallabies are confident Hodge will be cleared to keep playing because recent changes to the disciplinary process allow Australia to challenge the decision to cite him.
Under the new regulations, the only way an incident that was reviewed on the field can be reopened is if was a clear red-card offence and Cheika said Hodge’s case wasn’t.
Hodge has received the widespread backing of former players saying the only reason the Australian was put in the dock was because of a tweet questioning the legitimacy of the tackle that was posted by Ross Tucker, who helped World Rugby draw up their framework for high tackles.
He has since removed the tweet from his social media account.