Ardie Savea faces hearing after throat-cutting gesture

Associated Press
Updated ·1 min read
Billy Proctor of the Hurricanes runs with the ball during the Super Rugby Pacific Round 1 match against the Queensland Reds at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville, Australia Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023. (Scott Radford-Chisholm/AAP Image)
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — All Blacks back-rower Ardie Savea will appear before a judicial tribunal on Monday after making a throat-cutting gesture at an opponent during a Super Rugby Pacific match.

Savea was shown a yellow card after a scuffle in a match between his visiting Hurricanes and the Melbourne Rebels on Friday. As he left the field, Savea made the gesture towards Rebels scrumhalf Ryan Louwrens.

The Hurricanes captain apologized in a post-match interview.

“Kids are watching us, we’re in the heat of the moment,” Savea said. “Usually that’s out of character for me so I put my hand up first and I apologize for that.”

A citing commissioner later determined Savea’s action merited a red card.

Savea was charged with acting “against the spirit of good sportsmanship” and will appear before a foul play review committee by video link on Monday.

___

More AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports