Kitshoff banned for one week

Editor

Stormers prop Steven Kitshoff has been banned for one week after he was found guilty of a dangerous tackle by a judicial hearing.

Stormers prop Steven Kitshoff has been banned for one week after he was found guilty of a dangerous tackle by a SANZAR judicial hearing.

Kitshoff's suspension is up to and including March 31, 2013 which means he will miss the Stormers' clash against the Crusaders in Cape Town on Saturday.

The incident occurred in the 61st minute of the Stormers' 35-22 win over the Brumbies in Cape Town last weekend.

In his finding, Adam Casselden ruled that Kitshoff grasped Brumbies fly-half Matt Toomua around the neck gripping him between both arms in a “headlock” and then brought him to ground, placing Toomua in a vulnerable position and at risk of serious injury.

Casselden found that such a tackle, which usually dictates a suspension of two weeks, was at the “low end”.

After taking mitigating factors into account, he ruled that the two week entry point of suspension should be reduced to one week.