17/02/2008 15:46

Perth - Scrumhalf Matt Henjak has returned home from the Western Force's Super 14 tour of South Africa to appear at a tribunal hearing into an incident which left teammate Haig Sare with a broken jaw.

Henjak played in the Force's 17-10 loss to the Sharks in Durban on Friday, the first of three matches the Perth-based franchise will play in South Africa.

He will appear before a tribunal hearing on Tuesday to answer allegations his actions contributed to the injury to Sare prior to the team's departure for South Africa, a Force statement said on Sunday.

"The lawyer representing Matt Henjak had requested that the tribunal hearing be further adjourned until the team returns from South Africa to allow Henjak to attend the hearing in person and not by way of video or telephone link-up," the statement said.

"The chairperson of the tribunal would not agree to the request, and, as a consequence of this, the Rugby WA Board resolved that Henjak return to Perth immediately so that he may attend the tribunal hearing in person."

Henjak has been involved in off-field incidents throughout his career and became the first Wallaby in 40 years to be sent home from a tour in South Africa in 2005.

Henjak left on Force's tour of South Africa against the wishes of the Australian Rugby Union chief executive John O'Neill, who demanded the Force deal with the disciplinary matter promptly.