Ta'avao suspended following red card against Ireland

All Blacks prop Angus Ta'avao has been handed a three week ban following his red card against Ireland on Saturday in Dunedin.

The tighthead prop was dismissed by referee by Jaco Peyper on 31 minutes in the second Test for a head-on-head collision with Ireland's Garry Ringrose. Ta'avao was only on the field temporarily as a replacement for the yellow carded Ofa Tu'ungafasi.

The 32-year-old attended an independent disciplinary hearing via video link this week for his act of foul play contrary to Law 9.13- 'a player must not tackle an opponent early, late or dangerously'.

A World Rugby statement reads: "New Zealand prop Angus Ta’avao attended an independent disciplinary hearing via video link after receiving a red card for an act of foul play contrary to Law 9.13 (a player must not tackle an opponent early, late or dangerously) in New Zealand’s test match against Ireland on 9 July.

"The independent Judicial Committee, chaired by Wang Shao-Ing (Singapore), joined by former player Leon Lloyd (England) and former coach Frank Hadden (Scotland), heard the case and considered all the available evidence, including hearing from the player and his legal representative.

"The player admitted that he committed an act of foul play but maintained that a red card was not warranted due to the presence of mitigating factors.

"Having reviewed all the evidence, the committee applied the Head Contact Process and upheld the red card under Law 9.13.

"On that basis, the committee deemed the act of foul play merited a mid-range entry point of six weeks given the direction by World Rugby that 'any act of foul play which results in contact with the head and/or the neck shall result in at least a mid-range sanction.'"

Due to the Chiefs prop's excellent disciplinary record, the ban was reduced by 50 percent, meaning he will be out of action for three weeks. Furthermore, the committee also approved the player's application under the Head Contact Process – Coaching Intervention Programme, which could reduce the sanction by a further week. However, he will definitely be out of the series decider against Ireland this Saturday in Wellington.

Ta'avao has 48 hours to lodge an appeal.