Queensland Reds lock Angus Blyth has been banned for three weeks for his late hit on ACT Brumbies winger Corey Toole last weekend.

Blyth was initially given a yellow card by referee Ben O’Keeffe before it was upgraded to red as he waited it out in the sin bin.

Toole suffered a cut to his chin and was a staggering mess after the ninth minute incident in the Brumbies’ win in Brisbane.

“It was bad, wasn’t it?” Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham said afgterwards. “But it was just careless; no-one’s going out there to intentionally hurt someone else with a high shot. It happens with second rowers, who are a bit uncoordinated. He’s pulled up okay … But we’ve got to take this one pretty seriously.”

A SANZAAR judiciary hearing agreed that the hit wasn’t intentional and cut the ban from six weeks to three due to Blyth’s clean judicial record and his acceptance of guilt.

Angus Blyth. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

Blyth had pleaded guilty to contravening Law 9.13: A player must not tackle an opponent early, late or dangerously. He was suspended from all forms of the game up to and including May 6.

In his finding, Foul Play Review Committee Chairman Michael Heron KC said: “With respect to sanction the Foul Play Review Committee considered the act of foul play was reckless, direct head contact was made and with high force.

“The Committee found it was not deliberate and after considering all relevant factors decided the foul play merited a mid-range entry point of 6 weeks. However, taking into account mitigating factors including the Player’s clean judicial record and his acceptance of guilt at the first available opportunity, the Foul Play Review Committee reduced the suspension to 3 weeks.”

 
All Black signs to end of 2027

Samisoni Taukei’aho has become the first All Black signed until the end of the next Rugby World Cup cycle.

Having re-committed until 2027, the 21-Test hooker has also put pen to paper on a new contract that will see him remain with the Gallagher Chiefs in Super Rugby Pacific.

“It’s a privilege to represent Waikato, the Chiefs and the All Blacks,” said Taukei’aho. “So I am truly grateful to re-sign with NZR for four more years and have the opportunity to keep living my dream.”

In just two seasons for the All Blacks, the 25-year-old has already written himself into the history books. In 2022 he equalled the most Test tries (7) scored by an All Blacks forward in a calendar year.

“We congratulate Samisoni on what he has achieved in the game so far,” NZR CEO Mark Robinson said. “We’ve seen him develop into a capable Test hooker and know he has a lot more to offer in the coming years.”

Making plans with Nigel

Nigel Owens has revealed his family planning is why he’s knocked back an offer to work for the Springboks as a an advisor.

The retired Welsh ref, 51, said the offer from Rassie Erasmus to join South Africa’s coaching team for the World Cup was tempting but the timing was off.

“The main reason why I had to turn down the job is because myself and my partner Barrie have some exciting news to share – we are currently in the final stages of the adoption process and will hopefully be starting our family in the coming months,’’ Owens wrote in Wales Online.

“There’s not too much I can say at the moment about the process itself, but we are both incredibly excited. It’s something that we’ve spoken about for a few years now and it’s taken a while to get here, but now that it’s happening we can’t wait, although I must admit it’s also a little nerve-wracking.

“As any parent will tell you, there’s no bigger commitment than raising a child, so that was obviously the main reason why I decided against the South Africa job in the end. I couldn’t, nor would I want to, go away for the next six months with this happening.”