Taulagi given five-week ban for dangerous tackle

Sunwolves full-back Jamie-Jerry Taulagi has been slapped with a five-week ban after he was sent off in the Japanese franchise’s 27-20 Super Rugby defeat to Chiefs on Saturday.

Replacement back Taulagi had helped the Sunwolves put late pressure on their hosts in Waikato with a penalty and conversion from Derek Carpenter’s try.

However, the 23-year-old was shown a red card beyond the 80th minute after he joined a tackle on Chiefs’ Shaun Stevenson and clumsily drove his shoulder into his opponent’s head.

Taulagi was perhaps guilty of a lumbering attempt to play the ball as the Sunwolves desperately sought possession, and the player’s “remorse, on field apology and early guilty plea” were factors in the punishment being reduced by two weeks.

Regardless, Taulagi will be out of action until June 10, ruling him out until the final three games of the regular season.

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