England's Matt Banahan banned for two weeks for lifting tackle to Berrick Barnes
Matt Banahan the England wing was told to attend a disciplinary hearing in Sydney on Wednesday June 16 for a "lifting tackle" on Australia Barbarian centre Berrick Barnes during the match in Gosford on Tuesday. Banahan has been suspended by the officials and will not be able to play until June 30. Banahan who was to compete against the Wallabies in the crucial second test on Saturday and against New Zealand Maori in Napier next Wednesday will not take part due to this suspension. However Joe Worsley the England team’s captain believes that England’s victory over the Australian Barbarians will increase the morale of the team and will help them in their match against the Barbarians this Saturday. England won their first game of the tour yesterday after two penalties were scored by Charlie Hodgson and three from Olly Barkley.
The win at Gosford increased the morale of Martin Johnson's men and they are now prepared to take the Wallabies on Saturday’s second test. Joe Worsley captained the England team on Tuesday in the Bluetongue Stadium, after the win Worsley said that for any visiting team a win is necessary as it increases their confidence in the field. He also commented that last week’s game was important and we should have won that but still what is done is the past. We should focus on our games ahead. We still need lots to prove in the field as the first 20 minutes we played brilliantly but after that our performance was not up to the task. England needs to improve their attack as well as defence if they really want to win the series. Otherwise they might face problem in their upcoming games against Australia Barbarians and New Zealand.
The hearing was heard by New Zealand judicial officer Peter Hobbs. Hobbs later on ruled on the incident after he reviewed the video footage and said that the offence was at a low end of seriousness. England in the mean time has the right to appeal against the judicial officer Peter Hobbs’ decision. Yet no response has been seen from the English side on the ruling of Matt Banahan.
Although Banahan was doubtful to have played in the second test against Australia Barbarians on Saturday but he played both the midweek matches and was in argument for the New Zealand Maori match in Napier on 23 June.
Matt Banahan is the third English player who has been cited on the tour yet. First it was England Lock Dave Attwood who nearly escaped suspension for stamping charges following last Tuesday’s match which resulted in a draw 28-28. Attwood was escaped from the ban when the England team complained against the judicial officer that he should not be an Australian but someone else. Beside Attwood England wing Mark Cueto was also cited for a tackle but later he was cleared and found not guilty. Cueto was charged in the first test game against the Wallabies which England lost 27-17 on Saturday; for making a dangerous tackle on Wallabies centre Barnes. Cueto was joined by Martin Johnson and elite rugby director Rob Andrew for the hearing in which he was cleared by New Zealand judicial officer Peter Hobbs. Martin Johnson will announce about the team on Thursday who will play in the second test against the Barbarians on Saturday. England’s manager Martin Johnson is confident that Mike Tindall who missed the training session on Tuesday with a dead leg will be fit to play in the crucial game.
England’s test team was not present in the field to cheer on their team mates after Martin Johnson decided that the 50-mile journey was too hard following a tough training session. The players who left back in Sydney missed an erratic performance, in which England went 6-0 up before losing their way and falling down. Australia’s second string on the other hand ended the game with two hookers in the front row whereas Barkley's boot hit the winning run when he sealed the victory in the last minutes by scoring a penalty. All that matters now is whether England will face problems in their match against New Zealand on June 23 as Matt Banahan is unable to compete due to the ban. England senior team needs to win the second test so that they can level the series.
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