Damian McKenzie Suspended

The Chiefs will be without the prodigious services of playmaker Damian McKenzie who has been handed a ban from all forms of rugby for a total of 3 weeks. 

McKenzie was red-carded in the Chiefs’ recent Super Rugby Trans Tasman encounter with the Reds after the flyhalf executed a dangerous tackle on Reds scrumhalf Tate McDermott. 

McKenzie entered a guilty plea to the SANZAAR Foul Play Review Committee which found that he had contravened law 9.13: “A player must not tackle an opponent early, late or dangerously.” 

The Committee, comprising of Adam Casselden SC (Chairman), Mike Mika and Stefan Terblanche, made the following assessment: 

"Having conducted a detailed review of all the available evidence, including all camera angles and additional evidence, including from the player and submissions from his legal representative, Aaron Lloyd, the Foul Play Review Committee upheld the Red Card under Law 9.13.  
  

"With respect to sanction the Foul Play Review Committee deemed the act of foul play merited a mid-range entry point of 6 weeks due to the World Rugby instructions that dictate any incident of foul play involving contact with the head must start at a mid-range level. However, taking into account mitigating factors including the Player's good judicial record and pleading guilty at his first available opportunity the Foul Play Review Committee reduced the suspension to 3 weeks. 
 

"The player is therefore suspended from all forms of the game up to and including 19 June 2021. This includes the following fixtures:

• Super Rugby Trans Tasman Rd 4 - Chiefs v Rebels 6 June 2021 
• Super Rugby Trans Tasman Rd 5 - Waratahs v Chiefs 12 June 2021 
• Super Rugby Trans Tasman Final - 19 June 2021 

The Player is be suspended from all forms of the game up to and including 19 June 2021."