IRB reduce Mealamu ban

New Zealand hooker Keven Mealamu has had his four-week ban for striking an opponent with his head reduced to two weeks following an appeal hearing in Edinburgh today.

The 31-year-old was last Sunday cited for an apparent headbutt on Lewis Moody during New Zealand’s 26-16 victory over England at Twickenham.

New Zealand head coach Graham Henry named the hooker in his starting XV for tomorrow’s match with Scotland at Murrayfield with the All Blacks appealing Tuesday’s decision.

An International Rugby Board appeal committee chaired by South Africa’s Peter Ingwersen met in Edinburgh today and determined the incident was not intentional, halving the ban and permitting Mealamu to return to action on Monday, November 22.

With Mealamu suspended for this week’s game and next week’s match with Ireland in Dublin, the uncapped Hikawera Elliot will line up at hooker for tomorrow’s match against Scotland.

The 82-Test veteran will be permitted to return for the November 28 meeting with Wales in Cardiff.

Television footage of the incident showed Mealamu grabbing Moody by the jersey and then diving forward, making contact with the back of the England captain's head.

The IRB’s citing commissioner John West on Sunday night charged Mealamu with contravening Law 10.4 (a), “striking with the head” and a hearing in Glasgow on Tuesday night issued the suspension, meaning Mealamu was ruled out of the remainder of the northern hemisphere tour.

However, the All Blacks issued a staunch defence of the hooker’s character and partially succeeded in their appeal.

A statement from the independent IRB appeal committee read: “Although they upheld the original decision that there had been an act of foul play, having had the opportunity to review the video footage, the appeal committee concluded that the act was not intentional and that it merited a lower end entry point in the IRB list of sanctions, namely four weeks.

“In view of the compelling mitigating factors and the absence of aggravating factors, this was reduced to two weeks, meaning that Mr Mealamu is free to resume playing on Monday, November 22, 2010.”