All Black lock Scott Barrett facing possible ban that puts doubt over his World Cup campaign

All Blacks lock Scott Barrett has been charged with a dangerous tackle and is facing a possible ban which would rule him out of Saturday’s deciding Bledisloe Cup Test against the Wallabies in Auckland.

The SANZAAR foul play review committee will convene late Sunday afternoon (5pm AEST) by video conference to consider Barrett’s case.

Barrett was sent off just before halftime in a key moment of the Wallabies’ upset 47-26 victory in the series opener at Perth’s Optus Stadium on Saturday night.

He was red-carded by French referee Jerome Garces for an apparent shoulder charge which struck Wallabies skipper Michael Hooper in the back and neck as the All Blacks were desperately defending their line.

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Barrett would need to plead guilty and accept the finding for the case to be decided by the foul play review committee, otherwise it will need to go to a judiciary hearing.

All Blacks fullback Beauden Barrett indicated his younger brother was grappling with his clumsy attempted tackle on Hooper, and subsequent punishment, which now leaves his initial World Cup fate in the hands of the judiciary.

“I was sitting next to him in the changing room. Obviously, he’s really disappointed and carrying a lot of responsibility on his shoulders at the moment but these things happen we’ve just got to get around him,” Beauden said.

“I reminded him that he’s not a dirty player and he realises that, too, so he’s just disappointed in himself. He’s taking responsibility but these things can happen especially when you’re defending close to the line and players do get in a low position.

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