Sunwolves back Taulagi gets five-week ban for shoulder charge

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - Sunwolves fullback Jamie-Jerry Taulagi has been hit with a five-week ban for a dangerous tackle that earnt him a red card after the final hooter during the Super Rugby loss to the Waikato Chiefs on Saturday.

The Auckland-born back came off the bench in Hamilton and drove his shoulder into the head of Shaun Stevenson while the Chiefs outside back was being tackled near the visitors' try-line in the 27-20 defeat.

"Taking into account mitigating factors including the player's remorse, on field apology and early guilty plea the Foul Play Review Committee reduced the suspension to five weeks (from seven)," the committee said in a statement issued by governing body SANZAAR on Monday.

The 23-year-old former Queensland Red will not be able to return to the field until after June 10, leaving him only three regular season matches to be available for selection.

The Tokyo-based Sunwolves, who travel to Buenos Aires to take on the Jaguares this week, are bottom of the Africa 1 conference with one win from nine matches.

(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Nick Mulvenney)