2019 Rugby World Cup: 'Could have killed him' - Former referee Rob Debney baffled by non-red card for Samoa

Wallabies winger Reece Hodge may have been the one who was handed a three-week ban, but another tackle at the World Cup "could have killed" a player, according to a former international referee.

Samoan players Rey Lee-Lo and Motu Matu'u were both sin-binned for separate high-tackles on Russian captain Vasily Artemyev in their clash on Tuesday.

Both were on Wednesday cited for acts of foul play and will attend hearings before an independent Judicial Committee.

In column for The Times, former referee Rob Debney says Lee-Lo's tackle in particular had the potential to kill Artemyev.

"He should have been sent off," he wrote. "Romain Poite went through the criteria ... concluded that it should be a red card and then, after a suggestion from the TMO, reduced it to a yellow on the grounds that Artemyev had dipped, which wasn't the case. Lee-Lo could have killed him.

"What's more, because of that precedent, he had to give Motu Matu'u a yellow too, even though there was head-on-head contact.

"If I were a Russia player, I would be feeling aggrieved. They should have been playing against 13 men for 50 minutes."

Referee Romain Poite shows Samoa's Rey Lee-lo a yellow card during their Rugby World Cup clash against Russia. Photo / AP

The tackle came after Hodge escaped punishment for his hit on Peceli Yato – who was left concussed – when the Wallabies beat Fiji on Tuesday, but Fiji would refer the incident to the citing commissioner afterwards.

The disciplinary committee "deemed that the incident was an act of foul play and warranted a red card in line with the high tackle sanction framework", World Rugby said in a statement.

It added that the tackle was "reckless, rather than deliberate", but contact with the head meant a high degree of danger.

Given Hodge's "exemplary disciplinary record, good character and conduct at the hearing, the committee reduced the six-match entry point by three matches".

Fiji's shock 30-27 defeat by Uruguay on Wednesday has now shaped Pool D into a straight contest between Australia and Wales to seal the winner and runner up spots to reach the quarter-finals, for which Hodge would be eligible.

Assistant coach Nathan Grey said earlier Wednesday that the Australian management were "pretty confident the judicial system will look after itself".

"We'll have to deal with that whatever the outcome is," Grey added.

"You'd be crazy as a management not to manage both ways, so whether he's there or not, we'll be ready to go."

- with news.com.au