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Four-week ban for Sonny Bill Williams
By Christopher Devine
Sonny Bill Williams has been banned for four weeks following his red card in New Zealand's second-Test defeat to the British and Irish Lions in Wellington.
The cross-code star was sent off with just 25 minutes on the clock during Saturday's match, after catching Lions wing Anthony Watson flush on the head with a shoulder charge.
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen confirmed Williams would plead guilty to a charge of unnecessary contact with the head when he faced a hearing at the New Zealand Rugby offices in Wellington on Sunday.
That hearing resulted in a four-week suspension being imposed on the centre, whose place in the All Blacks' squad for next weekend's decisive third Test has been taken by Malakai Fekitoa.
"Just finished my hearing, ended up getting four weeks," Williams was quoted as saying by stuff.co.nz.
"Obviously really disappointed, but happy with being able to get in there and say my piece."
Williams is the first All Black to have been dismissed in a Test match for 50 years.
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Latest Comments
Were you shocked by Sexton trying to rip Barrett's head off when he scored that final try in that return game?
Sexton once again the beneficiary of incredible double standards. Some of the rules simply didn't apply to him. The referee even watched that replay about 5 times in slow motion to see if he grounded the ball. If an NZ player had made that tackle it would have been a yellow card.
Ireland led by Sexton were the biggest bunch of whingers to ever play the game. NZ's dislike of Ireland was not caused by losing to them, it was caused by the Irish players, commentators and media being such giant crybabies.
I genuinely think Ireland are the best team in the world, and I think they will beat the ABs on Friday, but they are by some distance the team I like the least, and I know many people, not just from NZ, who feel the same.
Go to commentsThanks for the analysis Nick, thought provoking as usual. Couple of queries though, in the pic where you've circled Williams bind , I'm pretty sure it shows Stuart's knee on the ground, surely that's a NZ penalty? Also having had the chance to watch it again the All Black scrum seeems to improve after halftime, but before either England or the All Blacks replace their props. Not sure if that was the result of Tuipolutu coming on or some halftime tips. Either way this is only Williams second international season, so he'll be better for the experience.
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