17 Feb 2009

Hurricanes captain suspended for one week

6:11 am on 17 February 2009

The Wellington Hurricanes rugby captain Rodney So'oialo will miss only one Super 14 match for carelessly trampling on Phil Waugh during last Saturday's opening game against the New South Wales Waratahs in Wellington.

So'oialo was cited for allegedly stamping or trampling on the Waratahs captain who left the field miday through the second half with blood streaming from a head wound.

At a hearing yesterday So-oialo admitted his boot had made contact with Waugh's head, but SANZAR's judicial officer Bruce Squire said video footage suggested the boot of another player could have been responsible for Waugh's head injury, and So'oialo's action was careless rather than intentional.

So the Hurricanes captain will miss only this Friday's home match against the Otago Highlanders.