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Four-week ban for Sonny Bill Williams

Sonny Bill Williams (Getty Images)

Sonny Bill Williams has been banned for four weeks following his red card in New Zealand’s second-Test defeat to the British and Irish Lions in Wellington.

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The cross-code star was sent off with just 25 minutes on the clock during Saturday’s match, after catching Lions wing Anthony Watson flush on the head with a shoulder charge.

All Blacks coach Steve Hansen confirmed Williams would plead guilty to a charge of unnecessary contact with the head when he faced a hearing at the New Zealand Rugby offices in Wellington on Sunday.

That hearing resulted in a four-week suspension being imposed on the centre, whose place in the All Blacks’ squad for next weekend’s decisive third Test has been taken by Malakai Fekitoa.

“Just finished my hearing, ended up getting four weeks,” Williams was quoted as saying by stuff.co.nz.

“Obviously really disappointed, but happy with being able to get in there and say my piece.”

Williams is the first All Black to have been dismissed in a Test match for 50 years.

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Nickers 28 minutes ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

I thought we made a lot of progress against that type of defence by the WC last year. Lots of direct running and punching holes rather than using width. Against that type of defence I think you have to be looking to kick on first phase when you have front foot ball which we did relatively successfully. We are playing a lot of rugby behind the gain line at the moment. They are looking for those little interchanges for soft shoulders and fast ball or off loads but it regularly turns into them battering away with slow ball and going backwards, then putting in a very rushed kick under huge pressure.


JB brought that dimension when he first moved into 12 a couple of years ago but he's definitely not been at his best this year. I don't know if it is because he is being asked to play a narrow role, or carrying a niggle or two, but he does not look confident to me. He had that clean break on the weekend and stood there like he was a prop who found himself in open space and didn't know what to do with the ball. He is still a good first phase ball carrier though, they use him a lot off the line out to set up fast clean ball, but I don't think anyone is particularly clear on what they are supposed to do at that point. He was used really successfully as a second playmaker last year but I don't think he's been at that role once this year. He is a triple threat player but playing a very 1 dimensional role at the moment. He and Reiko have been absolutely rock solid on defence which is why I don't think there will be too much experimentation or changes there.

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