New Zealand Tour
Thomson handed one-match ban
ESPN Staff
November 14, 2012
New Zealand's Adam Thomson on the charge, New Zealand v Japan, Rugby World Cup 2011, Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, New Zealand, September 16, 2011
All Blacks flanker Adam Thomson's suspension means he will not be available for Saturday's clash with Italy © PA Photos
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New Zealand flanker Adam Thomson has been handed a one-week suspension for his reckless use of the boot on Scotland's Alasdair Strokosch during their clash on Sunday.

The All Blacks' blindside was yellow carded in the second half of his side's comprehensive 51-22 victory at Murrayfield but subsequently cited for "stamping or trampling".

The judge ruled that the offence was on the lower end of the scale and as a result Thomson has been suspended until midnight on November 18. The suspension means he will not be available for the All Blacks latest tour outing against Italy in Rome on Saturday but he was not expected to feature in the game. He will be free to play in the All Blacks' subsequent matches against Wales and England.

The International Rugby Board's recommended sanctions for both stamping and trampling range from two weeks to one year with Thomson's ban reduced to one week on account of his conduct with comments from Strokosch also likely to have influenced the ruling.

"It certainly wasn't malicious. There was no damage done. He barely grazed (my head)," Strokosch said following the game. "I would say the yellow card's fine. I wouldn't take it any further. It wasn't a big deal."

However, Scotland coach Andy Robinson felt it was a red card offence. "You would think so," he said. "The touch judge had a very good view of it."

The ruling, that came on the same day that Australia's Rob Simmons was handed an eight-week ban for a tip tackle on France's Yannick Nyanga in their clash in Paris on Saturday night, was described by former England hooker Brian Moore as "ludicrously lenient" and he urged the IRB to investigate.

IRB chief executive Gosper responded to Moore and others who registered similar complaints over the verdict on Twitter. Gosper wrote: "The IRB will review this case as it is a match under our jurisdiction. If we decide to take action we will make it public."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

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