Thomson gets off lightly
All Black flank Adam Thomson will miss Saturday’s Test against Italy after receiving a one-week suspension for stamping.
Thomson on Wednesday appeared before independent International Rugby Board-appointed judicial officer Jean-Noel Couraud (France), having been cited for an alleged stamp, or trample, to the head of Scotland loose forward Alasdair Strockosh in the match at Murrayfield on Sunday.
In upholding the citing by the independent IRB Citing Commissioner, the act of foul play, contrary to Law 10.4(b), was deemed by Couraud to be at the lower end of the scale of IRB sanctions, after having viewed various angles of the incident and listened to representations by Thomson, the All Blacks' assistant coach and the player's legal representative at the hearing.
From the low end entry point of two weeks, Couraud allowed one week of mitigation, taking into account, in particular, the Thomson's conduct at the hearing.
A sanction of one-week was duly imposed, with Thomson suspended until November 19, 2012. Thomson has the right of appeal.
