All Blacks: Thomson available to play against England

Finally there is closure on the Adam Thomson saga - and the All Black flanker will be available for selection to play England next week.

The IRB appealed the findings of the independent judicial inquiry that found Thomson guilty of standing on the head of Scotland flanker Alasdair Strokosch at Murrayfield on November 11. Thomson was handed a two-week suspension that was reduced to one for his previous clean record and lack of intent.

The IRB claimed the sentence was too lenient - but lost the appeal, with the committee finding the initial judgement of a two-week suspension to be in line with the recommendations laid down by the governing body. The committee agreed the act had been entry level, but they upheld the IRB's contention that the initial sentence should not have been cut in half - therefore meaning that Thomson's ban was extended to two weeks.

The All Blacks had withdrawn him for selection for both the tests against Italy and Wales meaning the 30-year-old is able, if required to play against England.

The outcome will be of some relief to Thomson who is still undecided about what he is doing in 2013. He did not want the test against Scotland - where he was yellow-carded at the time - to be his last.