Lavanini to miss Sharks clash

Jaguares lock Tomás Lavanini has been suspended for a week following a dangerous tackle against the Cheetahs this past weekend.

He was cited after the match, with the incident reported to have been a punch. Judicial officer Nigel Hampton downgraded the charge to dangerous charging after reviewing the incident. 

'After initially reviewing the video footage, citing commissioner's report and other relevant materials, I heard from the player and his representatives, including his counsel Stephan Weyers. The player accepted a breach of the dangerous charging law and identified the various factors involved in the incident,' Hampton said. 

He added that the admission of guilt by Lavanini afforded him a 50% reduction in his sentence. 

'I did not consider there to be any aggravating factors to take into account. I did take the player admitting guilt for the offence into account as a mitigating factor. This results in a one-week suspension being imposed on the player,' he said. 

Lavanini's suspension will see him miss the Jaguares' clash with the Sharks in Durban this Saturday.

Photo: Steve Haag/Gallo Images