Betsen accused of kicking Dawson
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Your support makes all the difference.Serge Betsen, probably the most effective member of a French pack comprehensively dismantled by England in Sunday's northern hemisphere semi-final at the Telstra Stadium here, has been accused of kicking Matthew Dawson, the Northampton scrum-half, during a ruck late in the first half and will appear at a World Cup judicial hearing tomorrow. If found guilty, the flanker from Cameroon will certainly miss Thursday's play-off for third place against the other beaten semi-finalists, New Zealand.
Betsen scored the only try of the match - a breakaway from a line-out - and was prominent in the fierce loose exchanges. But he blotted his copybook, not for the first time in a career undermined by indiscipline, by hitting Jonny Wilkinson, the England stand-off, with a late tackle. The Biarritz player did not return to the field at the end of his 10-minute stay in the sin-bin, but was replaced by Christian Labit.
The alleged incident involving Dawson, which left the Englishman with a cut head, was not seen by the match officials. Doug Hunter, the citing officer from Scotland, reported Betsen after viewing video footage. Betsen must now present his defence to the judicial officer, Brian McLoughlin of Ireland.
There have been an unusually low number of disciplinary incidents in this tournament. Rupeni Caucaunibuca, the Fiji wing, was suspended for two matches for punching Olivier Magne during a pool match against France and the Argentinian props, Roberto Grau and Mauricio Reggiardo, were banned for violent conduct during the Pumas' defeat by Ireland.
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