All Black gets three-week ban

DISCIPLINARY UPDATE: The Blues will be without one of their key players for some big Super Rugby Pacific showdowns over the next few weeks.

All Black loose forward Hoskins Sotutu was sent off for a dangerous tackle in the Blues’ 33-29 win over the Hurricanes last weekend.

He has received a three-match ban and will miss his team’s matches with the Brumbies, Chiefs and Crusaders in the coming weeks.

However, he was also given permission to take part in World Rugby’s Coaching Intervention Programme as a substitute for the final match of the sanction.

“The Super Rugby Pacific Foul Play Review Committee [FPRC] has found Hoskins Sotutu [Blues] guilty of committing a dangerous tackle in contravention of Law 9.13,” said a statement.

“The tackle, which resulted in a red card, occurred in the 75th minute of the match between the Blues and Hurricanes at Wellington Regional Stadium on March 1.

“The FPRC determined the act of foul play merited a mid-range entry point of six weeks/matches.

“In light of the player accepting he committed an act of foul play as well as mitigating factors such as the player’s disciplinary record, the FPRC applied the full 50 percent reduction in sanction.”

Sotutu has been suspended from all forms of the game for three weeks, which will apply to the following Super Rugby Pacific matches:

Blues v Brumbies – Friday, March 7
Chiefs v Blues – Saturday, March 15
Blues v Crusaders – Saturday, March 22*