Samoa rugby centre Eliota Sapolu Fuimaono has been suspended from all rugby after he failed to appear at a judicial hearing in Auckland on Tuesday following criticism of Welsh referee Nigel Owens on the social networking website, Twitter.
Sapolu Fuimaono had labelled Owens biased and a racist after his side's 13-5 World Cup loss to South Africa last week and was ordered to appear at a hearing on Tuesday.
The International Rugby Board said the hearing was adjourned by official, Jeff Blackett, when Sapolu Fuimaono failed to appear and the 30-year-old had been provisionally suspended until he faces the charges.
Sapolu Fuimaono, who plays for the English club Gloucester, had said in his expletive-laden tirade last week that he'd retired from international rugby after Samoa failed to qualify for the quarter-finals.
