Western Force flanker Hugh McMeniman has escaped with just a one-week ban after dropping his knee into Queensland Reds player Ben Lucas, but will still miss Friday's must-win final-round clash against the Brumbies in Canberra.
The incident occurred in the 29th minute of the Force's 30-20 win over the Reds in Perth on Saturday night, with McMeniman initially yellow carded and then cited post-match.
SANZAR judicial officer Nicholas Davidson QC accepted a guilty plea from McMeniman on Monday, noting that while the entry point for striking with the knee is three weeks, it was with no great force and "no more serious than another lower end striking sanction which carries a two-week entry point."
"Together, with McMeniman's outstanding disciplinary record over nine years, this warranted a discount to one week," Davidson said.
Unfortunately for the Force, McMeniman's guilty plea rules him out of their do-or-die battle against the Brumbies at Canberra Stadium.
With the Brumbies placed sixth and the Force seventh, the winner could secure a home qualifying final, while the loser could be knocked out of the playoff race.
If the Force win, it will be the first time the Perth-based club makes the Super Rugby finals in their nine-year history.
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