25 May 2018

Highlanders winger suspended for six weeks

1:12 pm on 25 May 2018

The Highlanders winger Tevita Nabura has been suspended for six weeks after a flying kick on his Waratahs opposite during their Super rugby match in Sydney last weekend.

The Highlanders winger Tevita Nabura has been suspended for six weeks after a flying kick on his Waratahs opposite during their Super rugby match in Sydney last weekend.

Nabura was sent off for kicking his opponent Cam Clark midway through the first half of his side's 41-12 loss.

He pleaded guilty and has been suspended from matches up to and including Friday 6th July by the Foul Play Match Review Committee.

In a statement the committee chair Nigel Hampton said the "action was seen by the Committee as a misguided effort by an inexperienced player to both try and regain balance whilst in the air and ward off the approaching opposing player."

Tevita Nabura of the Highlanders.

Tevita Nabura of the Highlanders. Photo: Photosport

Hampton said the committee deemed the act merited a top-end entry point of 12 weeks due to the contact with the opposition player's head.

"Given the comparative lack of force of the actual contact to the head and the lack of any injury to the other player, the entry point should remain at 12 weeks," he said.

"However, taking into account...the player's excellent record, his remorse, his inexperience and his guilty plea at the first available opportunity, the foul play review committee reduced the suspension by 50% to a sanction of 6 weeks."

-RNZ