Black Ferns centre Syliva Brunt will miss the Super Rugby Aupiki final, after copping a three-week suspension for a dangerous tackle for the Blues against Chiefs Manawa last weekend.
With her side ahead 28-14 in a final preview against their southern rivals, Brunt, 20, extinguished a dangerous run by international teammate Ruby Tui with a hit that seemed to connect with shoulder first and then slip up.
Tui was left dazed by the collision, left the field for a headcheck and did not return. Brunt was initially yellow-carded, but that was upgraded to red, leaving her team to battle on shorthanded to a 40-26 victory.
"The judicial officer found there was a high degree of danger due to the head contact that occurred and the high force/speed going into the contact, which met the red-card threshold," said NZ Rugby.
"The offence was deemed to be at a mid-range entry point of six weeks, and taking into account the player’s clean judicial record and subject to the completion of coaching intervention, the sanction was reduced to three weeks."
Brunt is scheduled to miss this week's final regular season meeting against Hurricanes Poua, the final on April 13 and one other, potentially the Black Ferns' opening test of the year against USA on May 11.
Meanwhile, Hurricanes Poua centre Shakira Baker will also sit out three weeks, after her straight red card for a dangerous tackle against Matatū. She will miss her Aupiki season finale against the Blues and two subsequent fixtures.
