Wallabies star gets away with shoulder charge. VIDEO/Spark Sport
Even more dramatic than the turbulent scoreline was the "scandalous' decision from match officials not to take any action against Aussie star Reece Hodge when he appeared to knock-out Fiji star Peceli Yato with an illegal shoulder charge.
Yato was escorted from the field and never returned after he wasleft dazed and distressed in the 25th minute when he ran into Hodge, who made a difficult tackle on the steaming Fijian.
Hodge's shoulder charge hit made contact with Yato's head and left the Fijian unable to return to the match, despite Hodge being sent flying by the impact of the collision.
The referees reportedly sent the incident up to the TMO to look for any possible yellow or red cards, but the verdict returned was that Hodge's hit did not deserve any sanction.
Reece Hodge hits Fiji's Peceli Yatoin the 25th minute of the World Cup clash. Photo / Twitter
Wallabies coach Michael Cheika said after the game he had already spoken to English TMO Rowan Kitt, and claimed the video referee told him that Hodge does not need to worry about further action.
Many others disagreed.
Unlucky boys... Def made it hard for Australia... on to the next one... Hope Yato is ok!!.. How that wasn't a card still baffles me!. Oh well time for breakfast.. #AUSvFIJ#RWC2019
The *most* concerning aspect of the Hodge/Yato incident is not that we didn't have a stoppage for a TMO referral, nor that it might have simply been "missed".
It's that the #AUSvFIJ TMO might have actively reviewed it and determined it was fine.
TV replays make it even harder to deny that 'Tier2' nations suffer at the hands of poor refereeing decisions at Rugby World Cup. That Hodge hit on Yato was scandalous #RWC2019
