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Tonga lose Taione to ban

Sunday 08th June 2008

Taione: Two weeks in the grandstand

Tonga star Epi Taione has been suspended for two weeks after being found guilty of making a dangerous tackle during Saturday's IRB Pacific Nations Cup match against New Zealand Maori in Albany.

The 29-year-old was sent to the sin-bin in the 67th minute for the high shot on impressive New Zealand Maori loose forward Thomas Waldrom and was cited for the same incident by Citing Commission Roger Drummond.

Taione is no stranger to judicial hearings. In April he was forced to front a SANZAR judicial hearing where he was given a six-week ban for head-butting Hurricanes lock Jeremy Thrush during the Sharks' Super 14 match in Wellington.

Taione will duly miss Tonga's clash Japan in Sendai and the clash with Australia A in Sydney.