All Blacks lose prop Ethan de Groot for rest of World Cup pool stage after suspension

The 25-year-old has been handed a three-match ban, which will be reduced to two on completion of the Coaching Intervention Programme, for his high tackle on Adriaan Booysen.

He will be unavailable until the quarter-finals of the tournament in France.

The All Blacks are likely to face reigning champions South Africa, Ireland or Scotland should they progress to that stage.

De Groot, who was dismissed on the bunker review system after initially being sin-binned, admitted he committed an act of foul play but maintained the red card threshold had not been met.

However, an independent disciplinary committee determined the degree of danger was high and agreed with the foul play review official that the tackle was "always illegal" because of the player's lack of attempt to wrap.

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