New Zealand hooker Andrew Hore has been slapped with a five-week ban for striking Bradley Davies during last weekend's win over Wales.
Friendlies
All Blacks assistant coach Ian Foster, Hore himself and his legal team impressed upon Professor Crerar the importance of the Highlanders' pre-season friendlies.
The statement continued: "The judicial officer received unreserved assurances from Ian Foster, assistant coach, New Zealand, the player and his legal representative that the pre-season matches to be played by the Highlanders during the weekends of February 1, 8 and 15 all had significant and meaningful consequences for the player in accordance with IRB regulation 17."
Hore revealed he had spoken with Davies since the incident.
"I want to say how bad I feel and how embarrassed I am to be in this situation," he told the
New Zealand Herald.
"It is not the All Black way and I have let myself down and the team and probably the whole country is pretty proud of what we do.
"I hope Bradley Davies does recover and get back up and running and play in the Heineken Cup as soon as he can.
"I have been on the phone and talked to him on Sunday about the incident and obviously the All Black management and the leader group that I am a part of has been pretty stern on me for getting us into this situation and I have to take what I have got and go back and start building a reputation as a good, clean, hard footy player and hopefully I can do that in the next Super Rugby competition when I get back playing."
