Rugby: Maka faces hacking charge

By Chris Rattue

Battling NPC champions Otago could lose their remaining international forward, , for their fourth-round clash against North Harbour at Carisbrook.

Maka was yesterday cited for wilfully or recklessly hacking Southland prop Simon Kerr during the third-round draw at Invercargill, and will appear at a hearing in Wellington this afternoon.

The 1998 champions, under new coach Kevin Gloag, lie second on the NPC table after three rounds, but they have struggled to beat cellar-dwellers Northland and then drew with lowly rated Southland.

The All Blacks have raided the Otago pack, and only Tony Brown from the World Cup squad will take his place in the Otago side on Sunday.

Otago manager Des Smith said his union would defend the charge against Maka, but made no further comment.

Maka was not penalised for the offence, which happened in front of referee Paul Macfie. But he was cited by commissioner David Gray, who passed it on to complaints review officer Roger Drummond, who laid the charge against the 1998 All Black test No 8.

Northland wing Dan Parkinson, sent off by Paddy O'Brien for a high tackle which dazed Taranaki first five-eighths Jamie Cameron, will appear on a dangerous tackle charge.

Cameron, who left the field briefly and suffered another head blow later in the game, had his cheekbone x-rayed and said yesterday that the team doctor did not believe he had a fracture.

He did not rate Parkinson's tackle as malicious.

"I think he just reacted, really. I don't think it was anything more than that," Cameron said.

Horowhenua Kapiti No 8 Jack Noble, who was sent off in the third-division clash against Wairarapa Bush, will appear on a stomping charge tomorrow.

The hearing will be chaired by Bruce Squire, with Bob Stuart and Mattie Blackburn the other panel members.

Meanwhile, North Harbour halfback Mark Robinson resumed training last night after being treated in hospital last week for an abscess on his leg which forced him out of the game against Auckland.