England are set to be without Sam Burgess for their World Cup match with Ireland on Saturday after he was banned for one game for a dangerous high tackle against Australia.
Burgess, who started alongside his brother George at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday, caught Sam Thaiday on the head with a stray arm in the first half of England’s 28-20 defeat and was put on report by the referee, Henry Perenara.
An international match review panel charged the forward with a grade A offence and handed down the suspension, while also punishing Papua New Guinea’s Paul Aiton for one game after a high tackle on France’s Morgan Escare on Monday night.
Burgess, 24, has the opportunity to appeal by 11am on Tuesday but is expected to miss this weekend’s game at Huddersfield, in Burgess’s native west Yorkshire, returning for the final Group A tie against Fiji in Hull.
England are still expected to advance to the knockout stages of the World Cup despite their defeat by Australia, the tournament favourites. However, the result means they potentially face a semi-final against the holders, New Zealand, at Wembley next month.
Burgess could be replaced by James Graham, who returns to the squad after England suspended him for one match following a week in which their tournament preparations appeared in disarray.
Gareth Hock was thrown out of the squad for breaking an alcohol ban in the aftermath of the shock warm-up defeat by Italy but claimed he was among several players who had a drink. Graham was then banned for one game without explanation, although the former St Helens player is also thought to have breached team discipline, and is set to return this weekend.
The England coach, Steve McNamara, could also turn to the Wigan captain, Sean O’Loughlin, as a potential replacement for Burgess. O’Loughlin suffered an achilles injury at the back end of the Super League season but is hoping to return to action and play a part in England’s World Cup campaign.
“I’d have loved to have played against Australia but I just wasn’t right,” O’Loughlin told the Wigan Evening Post. “I was a bit sore, I’ve not done much with the boys for the last week or two but it’s probably been the best it’s been now, so I’ll get into it this week.
“If I’d played, I might have been out for a couple of weeks after. Hopefully there are another five games to go and it’s more about getting to a point where I can get involved and stay involved.”
Rugby League World Cup 2013: England"s Sam Burgess banned
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