Rugby: Chiefs face halfback crisis after Christie ban

Finlay Christie, pictured playing for Tasman in the Mitre 10 Cup, will miss three matches for the Chiefs. Photo / Photosport

The Chiefs will be searching for halfbacks following the three-week ban handed down to Finlay Christie today.

Christie was found guilty of stamping or trampling on an opponent after he was cited during the Chiefs' narrow 16-7 win over the Force in Perth.

The 22-year-old, who replaced the concussed Tawera Kerr-Barlow during the match, will miss all forms of the game up to and including May 19, which rules him out of the Chiefs' matches against the Sunwolves, Reds and Crusaders. The Chiefs have a bye after the Reds game in New Plymouth before they play the Crusaders in Fiji on May 19.

Regular starter Brad Weber has already been ruled out for the season with a broken leg.

Sanzaar's foul play review committee found that the offence was at the "mid-range" level.

"With respect to sanction the Foul Play Review Committee deemed the act of foul play merited a mid-range entry point of 6 weeks," a Sanzaar release said.

"The Committee viewed the Player's action as reckless and although as a result of that action the Player made contact with the forehead of the opponent, such contact was made with a comparative lack of force (the opponent thought that his head had been 'stood on') and resulted in a grazing of the skin and no laceration.

"However, taking into account mitigating factors including the Player's youth and inexperience, his excellent disciplinary record, his contrition and his early guilty plea, the Foul Play Review Committee reduced the suspension to 3 weeks."