Australia wing Reece Hodge insisted on Sunday he had learned a “harsh” lesson about tackling as he looked to make a World Cup return for the Wallabies after a three-week ban.
Hodge became the first player to be cited and banned at this World Cup following a high hit on Fiji’s Peceli Yato during Australia’s opening 39-21 Pool D victory over Fiji.
But the flyer is now available again for the October 19 quarter-final in Oita, where 2015 losing finalists Australia will face England.
“We’re always working on our tackle technique with the coaches and refining things week to week,” Hodge told reporters in Odawara. “But as I have said previously, my kind of tackling in the wide channels is always in the low knee-to-hip kind of region and I will still be looking to tackle low coming back into the frame this weekend.”
Fiji were leading 11-7 when Hodge’s hit prevented Yato from scoring a try and ended his involvement in the match.
This World Cup has seen officials cracking down on head-high tackles, with a new framework introduced in the hope that stiff penalties will help reduce concussion-related incidents.
“I learned my lesson that it is going to be quite harsh if you stray from that kind of goal, so I’ll definitely be trying to tackle low this weekend for sure,” said the 25-year-old.
Hodge is not guaranteed to go straight back into Australia’s starting XV. Adam Ashley-Cooper and Marika Koroibete were the Wallabies’ wings in their 29-25 defeat by Wales, while teenager Jordan Petaia made a try-scoring Test debut in a 45-10 thrashing of Uruguay.
According to the official World Rugby minutes of his disciplinary hearing, Hodge “conceded that he had no effective knowledge” of the framework and “had not been trained on it”.
But angry Wallabies coach Michael Cheika – whose side have collected several yellow cards for foul play this tournament – said the framework was for referees not players and that his side were being taught to tackle correctly.
Meanwhile Australia prop James Slipper said he was determined to avoid repeating the mistake that nearly cost the Wallabies a semi-final place four years ago
Australia saw off Scotland 35-34 in a thrilling quarter-final. at Twickenham after it had seemed a match featuring eight tries would be decided when Scotland’s Mark Bennett scored after intercepting a poor pass from Slipper.
“How did I know that was going to come up?” Slipper said. “Mate, it still haunts me and the boys still give it to me. It’s just important to really work on them [passes] at training,” said the 30-year-old Queensland Reds front row.