Crusaders prop Joe Moody has been banned for two games after striking NSW Waratahs centre Kurtley Beale. Photo / Twitter
Joe Moody has been banned for two games for his hit on Kurtley Beale during the Crusaders' 31-29 win over the Waratahs on Saturday.
The All Blacks prop escaped punishment on the pitch for his apparent elbow to the throat of Beale, which occurred moments before he scored the first
Crusaders try in the 35th minute.
The fact his transgression was missed infuriated the Australians, with Moody's try the start of a stunning Crusaders comeback from 29-0 down.
Moody was cited after the match and pleaded guilty to a hearing of the Sanzaar Foul Play Review Committee tonight. The committee ruled that the incident contravened Law 9.12: "Striking with hand or arm".
The committee considered a four-week ban to be merited "due to the dangerous contact with the opposing player's head" but reduced it to two weeks because of mitigating factors including Moody's "excellent judicial record, good character and guilty plea at the earliest possible opportunity".
