Australia center Hunter Paisami banned 4 weeks for dangerous tackle in chaotic win over Springboks

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — One of the four Wallabies sent off during the chaotic finish to Australia’s 42-38 win over Rugby World Cup champion South Africa last Sunday has received a four-week suspension for dangerous play.

Center Hunter Paisami, who was yellow carded after a television match official review of a tackle in the 76th minute, was found guilty by a disciplinary committee of dangerous play for a contrary tackle, SANZAAR, which organizes rugby in the southern hemisphere, said in a statement Thursday.

Paisami’s dismissal left Australia with 11 players on the field against the 15 Springboks after his captain Harry Wilson, scrumhalf Ryan Lonergan and winger Joseph-Aukuso Sua’ali’i had already received yellow cards in the previous six minutes.

The suspension means Paisami will miss the two-test Bledisloe Cup series against New Zealand this month.

Australia, which went into last week’s match off a first series win in Argentina, is unbeaten in six straight tests for the first time since 2017.

New Zealand is coming off a 3-1 test series loss to South Africa in the Greatest Rivalry Series.

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