Crusaders prop Tamaiti Williams has been suspended for three weeks after being found guilty of dangerous play in his team’s win over the Chiefs.
Williams was cited for an incident at a ruck in the 15th minute of the Crusaders’ 43-33 victory at Waikato Stadium. The incident was not seen by match officials at the time and Williams, influential in his side’s comeback victory, was cited after the match.
The finding of the Super Rugby Pacific foul play review committee does not explain the incident in detail but, according to obscured television footage, it appears Williams makes contact with the head of Chiefs lock Tupou Vaa’i when cleaning out a ruck as the Crusaders go on the attack. Afterwards, Vaa’i falls backwards clutching his head.
The committee decided Williams contravened law 9.20a (dangerous play in a ruck or maul) and “made direct shoulder contact to an opponent’s head, with no mitigation, and that the act of foul play merited a mid-range entry point of six weeks/matches”.
As the All Black accepted he committed an act of foul play, as well as “as mitigating factors such as his disciplinary record and remorse”, the committee applied the full 50% reduction in sanction.
And – as has become a tradition in such cases – Williams was also given permission to apply to take part in “World Rugby’s Coaching Intervention Programme” as a substitute for the final match of the sanction.
Williams has been suspended from all forms of the game for three weeks, applying to the following Super Rugby Pacific matches: Blues v Crusaders, Saturday, March 7; Crusaders v Highlanders, Saturday, March 14; Moana Pasifika v Crusaders, Saturday, March 21.
The Crusaders’ victory over their rivals last Saturday night was their first of the season.