Australia ban Darcy Swain has been suspended for six weeks over a dangerous clean-up from Quinn Tupaea that left the New Zealand midfielder with a knee injury at the end of the season, governing body SANZAAR said on Wednesday.
Swain, who slammed into Tupaea’s legs in the All Blacks’ 39-37 win of the Bledisloe Cup in Melbourne last week, was given a yellow card by the on-field referee but was cited after officials ruled that the clean-out was the reached the red card threshold.
The incident sparked outrage in New Zealand and Swain was criticized by All Blacks players and staff.
SANZAAR said in a statement that the Judiciary Committee hearing found Swain guilty of violating Law 9.11 – “Players may not do anything that is reckless or dangerous to others.”
Judiciary Committee chairman Andre Oosthuizen said they had decided the incident was “not premeditated but highly inconsiderate”.