AARON SMITH WILL not feature for New Zealand against South Africa this weekend after being suspended for “breaching team standards”.
The All Blacks travel to Durban for their final game of the 2016 Rugby Championship looking to make it six wins out of six, but scrum-half Smith will not be in attendance.
His absence comes after he displayed behaviour “not of All Blacks standard” following their last clash with the Springboks in Christchurch on 17 September.
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As a result the 27-year-old has been suspended for one match and has already returned to New Zealand.
“On the Sunday in Christchurch after the South African test at Christchurch airport Aaron and a female friend were seen by members of the public to enter the disabled toilets,” All Blacks coach Steven Hansen said.
“On our arrival to South Africa on Monday we were informed on this. I had a conversation with Aaron who confirmed the story.
“As a result of this the leadership group met and were unanimous in the fact the behaviour wasn’t acceptable and as a consequence a one-match suspension would be put in place.
“Clearly Aaron is bitterly disappointed in his behaviour and feels he has let the team down but just as importantly he feels bitterly disappointed in letting his family and his partner down.
“At his request he has asked to go home to deal with the personal matters that have come with this incident and we are happy to support him with that.”
In 2012 Smith was dropped for a Test against South Africa after missing a team curfew while two years ago there was further embarrassment for the Highlanders star after a naked selfie of him went viral online.
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All Black scrum-half suspended after 'entering airport toilet cubicle with female'
AARON SMITH WILL not feature for New Zealand against South Africa this weekend after being suspended for “breaching team standards”.
The All Blacks travel to Durban for their final game of the 2016 Rugby Championship looking to make it six wins out of six, but scrum-half Smith will not be in attendance.
His absence comes after he displayed behaviour “not of All Blacks standard” following their last clash with the Springboks in Christchurch on 17 September.
As a result the 27-year-old has been suspended for one match and has already returned to New Zealand.
“On the Sunday in Christchurch after the South African test at Christchurch airport Aaron and a female friend were seen by members of the public to enter the disabled toilets,” All Blacks coach Steven Hansen said.
“On our arrival to South Africa on Monday we were informed on this. I had a conversation with Aaron who confirmed the story.
“As a result of this the leadership group met and were unanimous in the fact the behaviour wasn’t acceptable and as a consequence a one-match suspension would be put in place.
“Clearly Aaron is bitterly disappointed in his behaviour and feels he has let the team down but just as importantly he feels bitterly disappointed in letting his family and his partner down.
“At his request he has asked to go home to deal with the personal matters that have come with this incident and we are happy to support him with that.”
In 2012 Smith was dropped for a Test against South Africa after missing a team curfew while two years ago there was further embarrassment for the Highlanders star after a naked selfie of him went viral online.
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