Wallabies coach Michael Cheika claims Michael Hooper is a 'clean player' despite one week ban for striking

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika claims his rugby star Michael Hooper is a “clean player” despite getting banned for one match after being found guilty in striking an opponent during the Rugby Championship in Mendoza. Hooper, who is cleared to play for the decider against New Zealand, was handed a one-game suspension by the SANZAR judiciary on Thursday.

Cheika has nothing but praise for his rugby player after the three-nation rugby’s governing body handed down the suspension to Hooper. The 48-year-old Cheika admitted Hooper plays hard, but also believes that the young flanker plays rugby clean and fair.

“He hasn’t been cleared, he has been found guilty and I know that Michael from the moment he got cited was disappointed,” Cheika said, according to Daily Telegraph. “Like he said, we are not keen on seeing our players being cited and then being given a suspension of any kind that is going to stick on that man’s record.”

Hooper was cited striking Pumas' Nicolas Sanchez during Australia’s Rugby championship game in Mendoza. The 23-year-old Hooper was named on the Manly Marlins’ bench earlier this week, and will serve his suspension for the club’s quarterfinal match against Randwick on Saturday. The flanker had a two-week ban reduced to one on account of his clean record.

However, the young Wallabies player was still disappointed to have his clean record blemished. He was also displeased to miss the chance to play with his brother Richard Hooper in a Manly rugby club game this weekend.

Meanwhile, former Wallabies hooker Phil Kearns has questioned SANZAR’s lengthy process of drawing a conclusion for Hooper’s case. According to Fox Sports, Kearns said that taking five days to come up with a result is “ridiculous.” Kearns also slammed SANZAR and said that the “secrecy” on the governing body’s decision-making process that brought suspension to Hooper is “crazy.”

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