All Blacks hooker Keven Mealamu. Photo / Getty Images
All Black hooker Keven Mealamu's grand slam tour is all but over after he was found guilty of striking today and handed a four-week suspension.
All Blacks assistant coach Steve Hansen indicated they would appeal the sentence within the mandatory 48 hours, but the chances of overturning the ruling would
appear slim.
Mealamu returned to Edinburgh in a taxi - the hearing took place in Glasgow - and looked crestfallen as he alighted.
Watch the incident.
"I'm gutted to be honest, really disappointed," Mealamu said. "I don't feel the outcome shows what sort of person I am. I've played more than 100 Super games and 82 tests and never had any foul play against me.
"I do take it personally. I'm not that sort of person."
The incident happened in the second half of the match against England when Mealamu was found to have headbutted captain Lewis Moody in a ruck.
He was charged under Law 10.4 (a) which states that a player must not strike an opponent with the fist or arm, including the elbow, shoulder, head or knees.
The hearing took place in front of judicial officer professor Lorne Crerar. Mealamu was represented by the New Zealand Rugby Union's UK-based lawyer Owen Eastwood and Hansen.
"We're obviously really disappointed but there's not a lot we can say because we've got 48 hours to appeal it," Hansen said.
While the All Black camp maintained Mealamu's innocence, they would have been more comfortable accepting his fate had England's replacement hooker Dylan Hartley been charged with the same offence after appearing to strike Richie McCaw with his forearm.
McCaw said he was unpleasantly "surprised" no action had been taken against the New Zealand-born hooker.
Mealamu's suspension will see Hika Elliot almost certainly promoted to start his first test, while Andrew Hore will return to the bench after a six-month lay-off following a dislocated shoulder.
New Zealand plays Scotland at Murrayfield on Sunday morning (NZT).
