All Blacks receive boost as key nemesis rubbed out

The All Blacks have received a little help from the French judiciary ahead of the start of their Rugby Championship campaign as Los Pumas enforcer Marcos Kremer has been handed a lengthy ban.

All of the Rugby Championship rivals will benefit from Kremer’s absence but arguably none more so than New Zealand.

The 25-year-old Argentine has been a thorn in the side of the All Blacks since 2020, featuring heavily in the two wins the Pumas have registered over New Zealand. On both occasions he logged over 20 tackles as part of a dominate defence which shut down the All Blacks’ attack.

The fiery flanker has locked horns with flankers Akira Ioane and Shannon Frizell in the past, not afraid to get confrontational while manhandling the All Blacks’ pack.

He will now miss the chance to beat the All Blacks for a third time when they travel to Mendoza after being handed a five-week suspension after receiving a red card in his last game for Stade Français.

Kremer was found responsible for “dangerous play” by the disciplinary committee for head contact on Scottish flyhalf Finn Russell during a clean out.

Due to his poor disciplinary record the committee recommended an increase in the sanction before reducing the penalty due to Kremer’s guilty plea and remorse.

“It is the median degree of the scale of gravity which was retained, that is to say a suspension of six weeks,” the verdict statement read.

“After taking into account the aggravating circumstance (disciplinary record), the sanction was increased by two weeks.

“Considering the mitigating circumstances (acknowledgment of guilt, conduct before and during the hearing, and expression of remorse), the sanction has been reduced by three weeks.

“Therefore, Mr Marcos Kremer is suspended for five weeks.”

With the Top 14 season finished, Kremer’s suspension is untimely for the Pumas who will miss the flanker for the entirety of the Rugby Championship.

Argentina play an extra fixture against the Springboks following the conclusion of the tournament, and one warm-up fixture against Spain which would account for five games.

An Argentinian XV also play against Namibia, Chile (twice) and Uruguay but it is unclear whether these would count for Kremer.