WELLINGTON - Hurricanes winger Tana Umaga will not be appealing against the week's suspension he received yesterday for a head-high tackle on Highlanders wing Romi Ropati during a Super 12 rugby game on Saturday.
Umaga was sent off for the tackle and will now miss the Hurricanes' game against the Chiefs in Hamilton on Saturday.
The New Zealand Rugby Football Union judicial committee, chaired by Nick Davidson QC and comprising Terry Wright and Merlin Shannon, took almost three-and-a-half hours in Wellington last night to decide that Umaga's action should be punished by a suspension.
Umaga said he was disappointed but ruled out the possibility of an appeal.
"I am slightly disappointed but I had a fair hearing," Umaga said.
'"I have just got to live with the decision and take my medicine. I have let down my team already."
A report from referee Paddy O'Brien said Umaga had made a tackle in a reckless and dangerous way.
The committee said it viewed excellent video footage from three angles and considered the player's explanation that his was a reflex action when he had been wrongfooted by the ball carrier, and that his only intent was to make a smother tackle, targeting the ball.
Umaga told the committee he did not intend to make a dangerous tackle. Submissions were made that when viewed objectively the tackle was not dangerous. At the same time, the referee's decision was accepted.
The panel concluded that the tackle was dangerous, but without intent to make contact above the shoulder and did not accept that when a player was beaten in that way a dangerous high tackle should be condoned.
The tackler must be aware of the risk involved in targeting the ball when held in that position, and the onus of safety is on the tackler, it said.
Reference was made to earlier decisions and the penalties imposed, along with the good record of the player.
Submissions from Umaga's advisers that there should be no penalty and that no suspension should be imposed were rejected by the committee.
Umaga's ban is a further blow to the Hurricanes who were without Jonah Lomu against the Highlanders and is given only a 50-50 chance of playing against the Chiefs.
- NZPA
Rugby: Umaga cops one-week suspension
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