The Blues have been handed a boost ahead of this weekend's round of Super Rugby Aotearoa, with prop Ofa Tu'ungafasi cleared of foul play and free to face the Chiefs on Saturday.
Tu'ungafasi, 28, was cited in the Blues' defeat to the Crusaders at Eden Park on Sunday, yellow carded for striking Scott Barrett with his shoulder when cleaning out a ruck.
But the SANZAAR citing commissioner didn't view the incident met the threshold for a red card, freeing Tu'ungafasi to play this weekend.
"The judicial committee found that it was not satisfied, on the balance of probabilities, that the red card threshold had been met," said chairman Nigel Hampton QC.
"Nor was the committee satisfied that the match referee was wrong in his issuing a yellow card."
The decision is welcome relief for the Blues, who yesterday saw hooker Kurt Eklund handed a three-week suspension after flipping Crusaders wing Sevu Reece in a tackle, ruled out of facing the Chiefs, Hurricanes and Highlanders.
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