Blues captain Dalton Papali’i has been suspended for three matches – the rest of the regular season – for his high tackle on Richie Mo’unga during his team’s defeat to the Crusaders.
Sanzaar’s foul play committee found the act of foul play in the 43rd minute of the match to be “reckless, with direct head contact and no significant mitigating factors present”.
Papali'i was yellow carded, a sanction upgraded after review to a red card. Mo'unga, an All Blacks teammate, received brief medical attention afterwards but played on.
The committee decided the high tackle, during which the loose forward's shoulder made contact with Mo'unga's head, was “dangerous” and worthy of a mid-range suspension of six weeks, but taking into account Papali’i’s record and guilty plea, the ban was reduced by three weeks.
It means Papali’i will miss the Blues’ matches against the Reds in Brisbane and home matches against the Hurricanes and Highlanders.
His absence is another blow to a team already without lock Sam Darry due to a broken arm suffered in Christchurch.
The Blues will want to finish fourth at worst as they will then qualify for a home quarter-final.
Last Saturday’s 15-3 defeat to the Crusaders in Christchurch dropped the Blues to fifth, with the Chiefs and Brumbies, first and second respectively, out of their reach and the Crusaders on the up.
All three of the Blues’ final regular season matches will be crucial in terms of competition points but the match against the Hurricanes, currently third, at Eden Park on May 27, is looming as a pivotal one for both teams.
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