WELLINGTON (Reuters) - Sonny Bill Williams will miss New Zealand's Rugby Championship opener against Australia next month after World Rugby clarified his four-game ban for a red card in the British and Irish Lions series. New Zealand coach Steve Hansen had hoped Williams could serve the ban by missing the third Lions test, the final match of the Auckland Blues' Super Rugby season and two other games. A three-man judicial committee, Sydney lawyer Adam Casselden and former Wallabies David Croft and John Langford, however said the latter matches were insufficiently meaningful. "Following due consideration, the disciplinary committee has ruled that Williams' suspension will extend up to and including 19 August. The All Blacks face the Wallabies in their Rugby Championship opener in Sydney on Aug. 19, with the return match against Australia in Dunedin the following week.

Source: The Star July 28, 2017 00:33 UTC