The Blues winger Tanielu Tele'a has been suspended for four weeks of Super Rugby.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Tele'a was sent off late in the Blues' 24-9 win over the Stormers at Eden Park on Saturday for a tip tackle on Stormers winger Dillyn Leyds.
He had his eyes on the high ball and the Stormers player jumped to catch it and up cart-wheeling over before landing on his back.
The Sanzaar judiciary accepted a guilty plea from Tele'a for contravening Law 9.17 which says a player mustn't tackle, charge, pull, push or grasp an opponent whose feet are off the ground.
His suspension is up to and including 4 May.
As a result, Tele'a will miss the Blues' games against the Waratahs, Chiefs, Highlanders and Brumbies, before being able to return on 10 May against the Hurricanes.
Meanwhile Sharks hooker Akker van der Merwe has been suspended for three weeks.
Van der Merwe was involved in a fist fight with rival Bulls hooker Schalk Brits, for which both players were red-carded in the Pretoria-based side's 19-16 victory.
He pleaded guilty to the offence, which saw the usual six-week sanction cut in half.
Brits has also been charge by the Foul Play Review Committee, but no verdict has yet been reached in his case.
Van der Merwe and Brits are likely rivals for one spot in the South Africa squad for the World Cup in Japan later in the year, with Malcolm Marx and Bongi Mbonambi ahead of them in the pecking order.
