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South African boss blasts Sanzar judiciary
By MARC HINTON - RugbyHeaven | Tuesday, 15 July 2008
Top South African rugby officials are fuming at the three-week suspension handed out to Boks hooker Bismarck du Plessis after the weekend's famous 30-28 Tri-Nations upset over the All Blacks in Dunedin.
The South Africans have long held a deep-seated suspicion that the Sanzar judiciary system that presides over the Super 14 and Tri-Nations competitions is a flawed one and produces too many inconsistent decisions, more often than not weighted against players from the republic.
And the latest citings, and subsequent suspensions, have served to infuriate them even further over the perceived injustices.
After the opening Tri-Nations test in Wellington All Black lock Brad Thorn was suspended for one match after dumping Springbok hooker and captain John Smit on his back in a deliberate off-the-ball action. Smit was subsequently ruled out for the competition after injuring his groin in the incident.
A week later new Boks hooker du Plessis was picked up for careless, though not deliberate, contact around the eye area of All Blacks flanker Adam Thomson and suspended for three weeks (though also one match).
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