SANZAR come down hard on Nadolo

Hot on the heels of the four-week suspension of Highlanders Jason Emery for his reckless tackle on Sharks fullback Willie le Roux in a Super Rugby match at the weekend, comes news that Crusaders wing Nemani Nadolo has also been handed a four-week suspension.

Sanzaar Judicial officer Chris Morris fined him after pleading guilty to a lifting tackle on Brumbies scrum-half Tomas Cubelli.

The Fijian International will miss a month of rugby after the incident was picked up following the Crusaders’ dominant victory over the Brumbies in front of 16 000 fans in Canberra on Sunday afternoon.

Nadolo performed the dangerous tackle in the 39th minute of the game contravening Law 10.4 (j) and pleaded guilty to the charges.

Said Morris: “I took into account as mitigating factors the player’s disciplinary record after a lengthy professional career, his guilty plea and the fact that the tackle was reckless rather than deliberate. The Player was therefore given a two-week discount on the original sanction creating a recommended sanction of two (2) weeks.

“I took into account World Rugby memorandums about lifting tackles and the need to deter this very action from the game. As such I found it necessary to add two (2) additional weeks to the recommended sanction.

“The Player is accordingly suspended from all rugby for four (4) weeks until May 21 which effectively is a three match Super Rugby suspension. We were provided with proof that he would have been selected to play in a club match on April 30, which the player will also miss as a result of the suspension.”