Frizell banned for Bledisloe opener after assault charges

Highlanders flanker Shannon Frizell will miss the All Blacks' first Bledisloe Test after being suspended by New Zealand Rugby after his court appearance on assault charges.

NZ Rugby held a misconduct hearing with Frizell where he was handed a two-match ban but will only miss one All Blacks Test having already missed a Highlanders game earlier this year when news of the altercation first surfaced in May.

The other match he'll miss will be the All Blacks' Test against the Wallabies at Eden Park at 7.05pm next Saturday.

Frizell appeared in Dunedin District Court yesterday on three assault charges but didn’t enter a plea as he was instead offered diversion as a first time offender.

Diversion allows first-time offenders to work with police to take responsibility for their offending outside the court system and avoid getting a criminal record. Frizell will reappear in court in September but offered his apologies in a prepared statement yesterday.

[Source : TV NZ]