Dangerous tackle earns Kaino lengthy spell on the sidelines
Former All Blacks loose forward Jerome Kaino has been hit with a five-week ban following a dangerous tackle charge.
Kaino was initially given a yellow card and cited following the shoulder charge on Welsh centre Jamie Roberts in a Heineken Champions Cup game between Bath and Toulouse.
The 81-test veteran pleaded not guilty to the charge but was hit with a lengthy ban.
“The committee upheld the citing complaint as it determined that Kaino had committed an act of foul play that warranted a red card,” tournament organisers European Professional Club Rugby said in a statement.
“On the basis that the incident involved contact to the head, the committee was obliged under World Rugby regulations to find that the offence was at least at the mid-range of the sanctions, and six weeks was selected as the appropriate entry point.
“In the absence of a guilty plea, but in consideration of the player’s good conduct at the hearing, the committee decided to reduce the sanction by one week before imposing a five-week suspension.”
■ Former Highlanders captain Nasi Manu will undergo chemotherapy after it was revealed he has a form of urological cancer.
Manu, now playing for Italian club Benetton, has been out for the last few months with what was initially described as an unspecified accident.
But a tumour was found and operated on at the end of August.
He was discharged for a period of convalescence, but earlier this week had further medical checks and blood tests which highlighted the need to start a chemo cycle.
Manu said the diagnosis had put things into perspective and he urged his fans on Twitter, to not be embarrassed and “check your balls”. ■ Former Hurricanes flanker Blade Thomson has been fast-tracked into the Scotland rugby squad for their autumn internationals.
Thomson, now plying his trade at Scarlets, is one of three new caps in coach Gregor Townsend’s squad.
He had previously played for the New Zealand under-20s and endured a run of shoulder injuries.
Scotland face Wales, Fiji, South Africa and Argentina in the coming weeks.