New Zealand will appeal against Keven Mealamu's four-week ban after the hooker was found guilty of headbutting Lewis Moody.
Hooker ruled out of rest of autumn tour
New Zealand will appeal against Keven Mealamu's four-week ban after the hooker was found guilty of headbutting Lewis Moody during the All Blacks' 26-16 win over England at Twickenham.
The suspension rules Mealamu out of the remainder of the northern hemisphere tour, although he was spared an eight-week suspension due to his "exemplary disciplinary record" in 82 Tests for the All Blacks.
Assistant coach Steve Hansen said an appeal will be lodged and possibly heard by a three-member IRB panel on Friday.
Hansen, who formed part of Mealamu's defence team during the two-hour hearing, said: "We're defending a guy who's character has been questioned and it shouldn't be.
"He's a one-off special person. He hasn't got a dirty bone in his body. He's not a dirty player, he never has been. This is a case we'll go to the death on.
"The guys were gutted because he can't play and more importantly they were gutted for Kevvy because of the man he is.
Nature
"Everyone knows it's not in his nature to do that and everyone knows if Kevvy says he didn't do it, he didn't do it."
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 International Rugby Board's citing commissioner John West charged Mealamu with contravening Law 10.4a -"striking with the head" - and IRB judicial officer Lorne Crerar led the hearing in Glasgow, implementing the ban.
Mealamu is now set to miss Saturday's match with Scotland at Murrayfield as well as the remainder of the All Blacks' tour - fixtures against Ireland in Dublin on November 21 and Wales in Cardiff a week later.
Mealamu's ban means All Blacks coach Graham Henry is set to turn to uncapped Hawke's Bay hooker Hika Elliot when he names his XV for Saturday's Test on Thursday.
Andrew Hore is the other hooker in the squad, but is short of match practice following a shoulder injury.
