Australia's Reece Hodge banned for three weeks for dangerous tackle

Australia winger Reece Hodge has been banned for three weeks for his dangerous tackle on Fiji flanker Peceli Yato.

Hodge prevented Yato from scoring a certain try in the 26th minute of their hard-fought 39-21 win by halting the openside with a shoulder-led, no-arms challenge to the head.

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 October 5 and Georgia on October 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.

World Rugby said in a statement: "In considering all the available evidence, including multiple broadcast angles and submissions from Hodge and his legal representative, the committee deemed that the incident was an act of foul play and warranted a red card in line with the high tackle sanction framework.

"In following the framework, the committee determined:

• There was an act of foul play (which was reckless, rather than deliberate)
• The act of foul play was a high tackle
• There was contact with the head
• There was a high degree of danger

"Given the above outcomes, the committee determined that the act of foul play warranted a red card.

"The committee applied World Rugby's mandatory mid-range entry point, which was introduced in 2017 to mitigate the risk of head injuries, which according to World Rugby's sanctions table, carries a minimum six-match suspension.

"Having acknowledged Hodge's exemplary disciplinary record, good character and conduct at the hearing, the committee reduced the six-match entry point by three matches, resulting in a sanction of three matches."

Hodge, who is free to return to action from October 12, has 48 hours to appeal the decision.