One week suspension for Tialata
Tue, 13 May 2008 08:52
Hurricanes and All Black prop Neemia Tialata has been suspended for the Hurricanes' must-win Super 14 encounter against the Blues on Friday.
A SANZAR judiciary has found Tialata guilty of committing a dangerous tackle in his side's 21-10 win over the Western Force at Westpac Stadium last Friday.
Tialata lifted Dane Haylett-Petty beyond the horizontal, before throwing him over his back into the turf.
Sanzar judicial officer Chris Morris deemed that a one-week punishment befitted the crime.
Tialata was represented by counsel Stephen Cottrell and was supported at the hearing by Hurricanes coach Colin Cooper and manager Tony Ward.
The hearing also considered video footage of the incident and reports from the match official team.
A judicial finding statement said: "He [Tialata] admitted the tackle had been poorly executed and completed.
"Tialata said he planned to turn the player in the tackle before attempting to bring him to the ground.
"Instead the player had been lifted to a vertical position before being brought to the ground, which presented an unacceptable level of risk of injury to the tackled player," the statement concluded.
Tialata's suspension means Tim Fairbrother is expected to pack down at prop against the Blues on Friday.
