Dan Carter suspended for a week following high tackle

All Blacks flyhalf Daniel Carter has been suspended for a week following his high tackle that went unpunished against Wales on the weekend.

The tackle occurred with ten minutes left in the match, as Wales were hot on attack. Neither referee Craig Joubert, nor any of his assistant referee’s, saw the incident clearly. Joubert said from the angle he was at, he was unable to make an accurate judgement on whether it constituted a dangerous tackle.

Following Carter being cited after the match, a disciplinary hearing took place in London earlier today as he appeared before IRB judicial officer Jeff Blackett.

Carter, who has apologised to replacement scrumhalf Roberts already, has the right to appeal the ban that will see him out of action for a week. He will miss the Test against Italy, but can return on the 17th of November.

Some had thought that he might get more than a week, but with just a week’s suspension, he will be available for the big clash with England on the 20th at Twickenham.

Carter’s good disciplinary record helped at the hearing, as he’s yet to be sent off in his career.