Four-week ban for Freyberg’s Lockwood
Freyberg hooker Michael Lockwood has been suspended for four weeks for stamping and punching after a judicial hearing on Wednesday night.
Lockwood was red carded late in the side’s 37-31 loss to Linton Army after punching a player in front of the referee in senior A rugby on Saturday.
With the punch deemed to have made contact with the player’s head, he was forced to front the judiciary.
He was found guilty of breaching two laws, ‘‘striking an opponent with hand, arm or fist’’ and ‘‘stamping/trampling an opponent’’.
Video of the incident appeared to show him rucking a player on the ground before getting tangled up with one of the Linton locks.
He threw a punch at the player before team-mates pulled him away.
The suspension means he will miss the side’s matches against Te Kawau, Fob-oroua, College Old Boys and Kia Toa.
But he will be able to return for the club’s final three matches as they chase a place in the Val Holland playoffs.
Lockwood becomes the third senior A player to be suspended this season.
Te Kawau are without Jordan Henare for two weeks after his tip tackle against OBM last weekend.
His side has a bye the week his suspension ends so his first match back will be June 17 against Feilding Old Boys-oroua.
College Old Boys halfback Karl Bryson was suspended for eight weeks after he was deemed to have rucked the head of Nick Grogan.
Bryson returned to action last weekend against Varsity.