Rugby: Maka banned for two NPC matches

Otago No 8 Isitolo Maka will miss Otago's next two NPC rugby matches after being found guilty of reckless trampling on a Southland player last weekend.

Maka, a 1998 All Black, and Horowhenua-Kapiti's Jack Noble were both suspended for two weeks by the New Zealand Rugby Football Union judicial committee in Wellington yesterday.

Northland's national sevens player Dan Parkinson, who like Noble was sent off, was suspended for one week and will miss tomorrow night's first division match against Wellington in Whangarei.

Maka is out for Otago's home game against North Harbour on Sunday and the following Saturday's match against Counties Manukau.

Maka jumped with both feet on the shoulder and head area of a Southland player in Invercargill last Saturday and the judicial committee found the powerful loose forward guilty of reckless trampling.

However, the committee took into account his good record and that the Southland player was not injured. But it also acknowledged the player's safety was at risk and that suspension was warranted.

Parkinson's dangerous tackle resulted in a Taranaki player leaving the field for treatment.

Parkinson was ordered off and yesterday explained to the judicial committee that there was no malice or intention to injure the player.

The committee accepted his explanation, satisfied that the action was instinctive but noted that the tackle was unacceptably high, which had put the Taranaki player's safety at risk. - NZPA