Wrampling's season over after receiving three-game ban

Malachi Wrampling attempts to evade a tackle during the Blues' loss to Canterbury Crusaders.
Malachi Wrampling attempts to evade a tackle during the Blues' loss to Canterbury Crusaders.KAI SCHWOERER / GETTY IMAGES VIA AFP

Auckland Blues number eight Malachi Wrampling will ⁠miss this weekend's Super Rugby Pacific semi-finals, and potentially the final, after ‌being banned for three weeks for a dangerous ‌tackle.

Wrampling was shown a ‌yellow card, later upgraded to red, for ‌a high tackle on Leicester Fainga'anuku in ‌the 19th minute of the 52-31 loss to the Canterbury Crusaders in Christchurch.

The Blues progressed to the semi-finals ⁠as the ‌highest ranked losing team in last weekend's three ​playoffs and will take on the top-seeded Wellington Hurricanes for ​a place in the final in the New Zealand capital on Saturday.

The ⁠Waikato Chiefs host ​the reigning champion Crusaders in the other semi-final on Friday but will almost certainly be without All Blacks number ‌eight Wallace Sititi for the rest of the campaign.

Sititi was taken to hospital after a nasty head clash with teammate Sione Ahio in the wake of a tackle by Lukhan Salakaia-Loto in the Chiefs' 46-24 win over the Queensland Reds in Hamilton last weekend.

"He's ‌back chirpy and chatting away, so ​that's good news for everyone," Chiefs ‌assistant coach David Hill told the New Zealand Herald on Monday.

"With two games to go potentially, I don't think he'll be coming back – so, ⁠yeah we'll ⁠find out in ‌due course."

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