All Blacks flanker Jerry Collins will miss the Tri-Nations rugby decider against Australia after receiving a two-week ban on Sunday for punching in the crucial 31-27 Test win over South Africa.
Collins was cited for punching replacement Springboks fly-half Jaco van der Westhuyzen after a brawl broke out following a scrum in Saturday night’s match in Dunedin.
A judiciary committee found Collins’ punching was excessive and disproportionate to the threat from the opponent and banned him from all rugby until September 10, ruling him out of next Saturday’s Test in Auckland.
If the All Blacks beat the Wallabies, they will win the Tri-Nations.
The committee noted Collins was one of the principal protagonists during the brawl and continued to punch Van der Westhuyzen while the South African was on the ground.
Collins has been suspended on three previous occasion, in each case the offences related to reckless and dangerous tackles.
In Collins’ defence, All Blacks selector Brian Lochore said each of his previous suspensions arose from poor technique rather than malice.
The player favoured to take Collins’ place in the All Blacks starting line-up on Saturday is Waikato loose forward Sione Lauaki, who wasn’t needed off the reserve bench againsty the Springboks.
Lauaki made his debut for the All Blacks in the third Test against the British and Irish Lions last month. – Sapa