Hurricanes player Jordie Barrett could find himself on the sideline for several weeks after being sent off in the latest Super Rugby Pacific match. Photo: AAP / www.photosport.nz
Hurricanes centre Jordie Barrett faces a three week suspension for a dangerous tackle.
Barrett was red carded in the Hurricanes' Super Rugby Pacific match against the Reds on Sunday for a high tackle on Jordie Petaia.
The Foul Play Review Committee chair Stephen Hardy said after reviewing all the evidence and Barrett's submissions from his lawyer the red card was upheld.
"Following the World Rugby Head Contact Process, the FPRC assessed the player's actions as having directly contacted the head, at high speed, with high force and while the player's body position was always upright into the collision.
"The FPRC considered the act of foul play was always-illegal. In those circumstances, no mitigation was applied.
"The FPRC concluded that the foul play warrants a mid-range entry point of 6 weeks, and after mitigating factors, the FPRC decided to reduce the sanction to 3 weeks."
Barrett is eligible to do a World Rugby coaching intervention which could lessen the suspension.
Meanwhile, Moana Pasifika wing Nigel Ah Wong has escaped further punishment for a dangerous tackle against the Fijian Drua.
Ah Wong has just been issued a warning and the red card removed from his record.
"...the act of foul play merited a warning as it was close to, but did not breach the red card threshold," Hardy said.
"The red card will be removed from the player's record and it will be replaced with a warning sanction for the offence which will remain on the player's record."