England's Moody could face Six Nations ban for punch

ENGLAND World Cup winner Lewis Moody could miss a Twickenham showdown with RBS Six Nations champions Wales after taking his place in Test rugby's hall of shame.

The Leicester flanker faces a lengthy ban following an ugly brawl that scarred England's record victory over an outclassed and undisciplined Samoan side.

Firebrand Moody, who should learn his fate later this week, is the first England player to be sent off in a Test match at Twickenham, and only the fourth Englishman dismissed since the international game began more than 130 years ago.

Moody's reaction to Samoa wing Alesana Tuilagi's dangerous tackle on Mark Cueto saw him punch his Leicester team-mate from behind, before occupying the epicentre of a fierce scrap that followed.

Tuilagi was also dismissed by South African referee Mark Lawrence, while Samoa skipper Semo Sititi could be cited for throwing punches that both Lawrence and touch judge Malcolm Changleng didn't detect.

Moody has already served a period of suspension this season, landing a four-week club ban and an additional fortnight from RFU disciplinary chiefs for punching Leeds number eight Jordan Crane during a second team game in September.

The 34 times-capped openside was cited on that occasion, but his latest misdemeanour could attract a longer ban, possibly of three months, as he prepares to face a hearing convened by the Six Nations Committee.

England launch their Six Nations campaign against Wales on February 4, then face Italy seven days later. Moody's participation in both games is under threat, while he might also miss several Heineken Cup and Guinness Premiership matches for Leicester.

"We don't have a problem with discipline," insisted coach Andy Robinson. "It was an isolated, unfortunate incident and it will be dealt with. Obviously, it was a physical game, but you can't condone punching, as happened with everybody piling in.

"Lewis is really upset with what happened, and I feel for him a little bit. He has put a lot into this team, and he has worked so hard. He's pretty down at the moment, and understandably so."

Cueto, who was brutally high-tackled on three separate occasions in a fractious encounter, effectively blamed himself for Moody's dismissal after he reacted to the Tuilagi lunge.

Just minutes earlier, Samoan fly-half Tanner Vili was fortunate to see only a yellow card when he pole-axed Cueto through a shocking straight-arm tackle that left the Sale Sharks star with swelling around his throat.

"In hindsight, I shouldn't have reacted," said Sale Sharks wing Cueto.

"Part of your responsibility is to make the right decision, and the right decision would have been to have got up and got on with things. But it was the second one (tackle) in nearly as many minutes, and it got a bit ugly after that.

"I feel bad for Lewis, he just stepped in to help me out. For what I did, he ended up getting sent off. We are all behind Lewis, in terms of what will happen now.

"At the end of the day, in those situations, the boys are all close and tight. Once a few fists start flying, it is difficult to stand off and not get involved.

"You can't tackle anyone when they are in the air - that law is in the laws to keep the game safe. In an ideal world, if that situation was flipped around and I knew I wasn't going to get to the ball, I would wait for the man to land," he added.