Blues loose forward Hoskins Sotutu has been suspended for three matches after being red carded for a dangerous tackle in his team’s win over the Hurricanes.
However, the suspension will be downgraded to two matches if Sotutu goes to what is known in colloquial terms as "tackle school".
Sotutu hit Hurricanes counterpart Peter Lakai high in a tackle late in the Blues' 33-29 victory at Sky Stadium in Wellington and was yellow carded, a sanction upgraded to red.
The Super Rugby Pacific foul play review committee found Sotutu guilty of committing a dangerous tackle in contravention of Law 9.13.
The review committee found the act of foul play merited a mid-range entry point of six weeks/matches.
In a statement today, the committee added: “In light of the player accepting he committed an act of foul play as well as mitigating factors such as the player's disciplinary record, the [review committee] applied the full 50 per cent reduction in sanction".
It said Sotutu 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.
He was suspended from all forms of the game for three weeks, which will apply to the following Super Rugby Pacific matches (the Crusaders' ban will likely not apply):
- Blues v Brumbies, Friday March 7
- Chiefs v Blues, Saturday March 15
- Blues v Crusaders, Saturday March 22
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