Mulitalo escapes heavy ban but misses World Cup semi-final
Ronaldo Mulitalo got a one-game ban. He will miss the semi-final but can play in the final.
Ronaldo Mulitalo, New Zealand's star winger, has been handed a one-game suspension for a shoulder charge that saw him sent off in Saturday's 78-0 World Cup win over Fiji. The judiciary deemed his tackle careless and charged him with a grade-two offence on Sunday.
Under an early-guilty plea, the one-game ban means Mulitalo will miss next Saturday's semi-final in Newcastle but can play in the grand final if the Kiwis win. Mulitalo has scored three tries and been consistently strong under the high ball in this tournament.
The incident sparked a melee when Fijian halfback Brandon Wakeham punched Mulitalo in the head, earning Wakeham his own one-game suspension. New Zealand face either Samoa or Tonga in their do-or-die semi-final clash.
- Three
- Mulitalo's tries
- New Zealand 78 Fiji 0
- Match score
- Newcastle
- Semi-final venue
- Samoa or Tonga
- Opponent in semi
Why it mattersMissing a star player in a semi-final is a serious blow to any team's chances of reaching the grand final.
AustraliaThe Rugby League World Cup semi-finals are a major event, and New Zealand's ability to reach and win the final shapes the tournament's outcome for Australian audiences.
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