Tuesday’s rugby news has the Honey Badger returning to Aus, SBW facing off against Paul Gallen, Ita Veae repaying the Brumbies and more discipline issues for Dylan Hartley.
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Cummins back for RWC
The Honey Badger will return to the Western Force this week and will be available for the Wallabies’ 2015 World Cup campaign after his Japanese club Coca-Cola West Red Sparks reportedly agreed to a release.
Test coach Michael Cheika indicated on the tour of Europe that Cummins would be a welcome addition. “He’s showing he wants to play for Australia if he comes back and plays,” Cheika said. “He’s obviously a class player — if he ends up playing back in Australia he’ll be considered no doubt.”
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SBW discusses Paul Gallen bout
Sonny Bill Williams could face off against NRL star Paul Gallen in a future fight, with both players, along with Wallaby Quade Cooper and teenage Roosters forward Willis Meehan, separately competing on a January 31 card broadcast on Channel 9.
Williams and Gallen could face off in the second edition of the Nine-backed fight card if the first instalment is a success. SBW had sought permission from All Blacks coach Steve Hansen before agreeing to the January fight. “He said he was OK, as long as you don’t get knocked out,” SBW commented
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Ita Veae repaying A.C.T loyalty
Ita Vaea will forgo his plans to defect to the French Top 14 competition, deciding instead to return to the Brumbies after overcoming a life-threatening heart condition. “The Brumbies have done everything for me, they’ve looked after me while I was sick,” Vaea said. “So I’m not walking away, I’m not looking at other teams, I want to repay them.
After spending 18 months on blood-thinning medication and a severely restricted exercise regime, Vaea has returned through the Gungahlin Eagles in the ACT competition and the NSW Country Eagles in the NRC to be back in Super Rugby contention.
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Hartley facing more hearings
Northampton captain Dylan Hartley could be facing another lengthy suspension, summoned on Monday to face a disciplinary hearing in London after his dismissal for elbowing Leicester’s Matt Smith. The England hooker could miss at least the start of England’s Six Nations campaign following the latest episode in a career scarred by repeated disciplinary episodes.
Hartley was handed a 26-week ban for eye-gouging in 2007, and an 11-week suspension for verbally abusing referee Wayne Barnes during the 2013 Premiership final against Leicester.
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