Hooper cleared to face All Blacks

Michael Hooper's one-week suspension has been upheld after Sanzar's appeal against the original ban was dismissed.

Sanzar launched an appeal against the week-long suspension Hooper received for striking Nicolás Sánchez in the Rugby Championship Test between Argentina and Australia last weekend.

The Australian Rugby Union also launched a counter-appeal against the outcome, but a Sanzar appeals committee chaired by Jannie Lubbe and comprising of Terry Willis and Mike Herron on Sunday unanimously dismissed both appeals.

'The committee dismissed the appeal brought by Sanzar that the sanction of one week was unduly lenient. The judicial officer was correct in the exercise of his discretion that the offending was low-end,' read the statement.

'The committee also dismissed the ARU appeal on behalf of Michael Hooper on the basis that the appellant was unable to show that the judicial officer erred in law in finding that Hooper's strike was a breach of Law 10.4 (a).'

The judicial officer considered Hooper missing a match for his club Manly sufficient punishment, clearing him to face the All Blacks in next Saturday's Rugby Championship decider in Sydney.

Photo: Matt King/Getty Images

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