All Blacks suspend Aaron Smith after airport incident

Omnisports

October 5, 2016 5:20 AM

New Zealand will be without Aaron Smith when they meet South Africa in the Rugby Championship after an incident at Christchurch airport last month.

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Aaron Smith will not feature for New Zealand against South Africa this weekend after being suspended for "breaching team standards".

The All Blacks travel to Durban for their final game of the 2016 Rugby Championship looking to make it six wins out of six, but scrum-half Smith will not be in attendance.

His absence comes after he displayed behaviour "not of All Blacks standard" following their last clash with the Springboks in Christchurch on September 17.

As a result the 27-year-old has been suspended for one match and has already returned to New Zealand.

A series of posts on the official All Blacks Twitter account stated: "Halfback Aaron Smith has been suspended for one Test after breaching team standards regarding behaviour, Steve Hansen says.

"Hansen says Smith was seen by entering a toilet cubicle with a female friend at Chch [Christchurch] Airport the day after the Chch Test.

"Hansen says Smith accepted his behaviour was not of All Blacks standard. Team leaders decided on punishment.

"Hansen said as a result Smith was not considered for selection for this weekend's Durban Test.

"Hansen said Smith had asked to return home and team management had supported that."

Omnisports

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