Tonga No. 8 Vaea Fifita was suspended for their last two Rugby World Cup pool games against South Africa and Romania today for his red card.
Fifita shoulder-charged the head of Scotland’s Finn Russell in a ruck near the end of a pool match that Scotland won 45-17 on Monday in Nice.
Fifita was yellow-carded at the time and it was upgraded to red after the match by a bunker review. At his judicial hearing today, the former All Black admitted to foul play but challenged the red card.
The panel said it was always illegal and there was no mitigation. The charge was reckless with a high degree of danger, the panel added.
It started the sanction at six matches and removed two for Fifita’s remorse and disciplinary record.
His four-game ban included the Pool B games against South Africa on Sunday and Romania on Oct. 8, and two club games for Scarlets.
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England players were questioned by police as soon as they landed at Christchurch Airport.