Sunday 2 July 2017 21:10, UK
All Blacks centre Sonny Bill Williams has been banned for four weeks after his red card offence against the Lions on Saturday.
Williams was sent off after just 25 minutes for a head-high shoulder charge on winger Anthony Watson in the second Test in Wellington, the first All Blacks red card for 50 years.
The 31-year-old rugby league convert faced a disciplinary hearing in Wellington on Sunday following his dismissal, and has subsequently been handed a four-week ban.
Warren Gatland's Lions side went on to win the second Test 24-21, as New Zealand slipped to their first home defeat since 2009 and first in Wellington since 2003.
Williams admitted after his suspension was confirmed he had reached out to Watson to apologise.
"I'm really disappointed but happy to get in there and say my piece," he said. "They've come to the conclusion that it was reckless, it wasn't intentional.
"I've got in contact with Anthony [Watson] and I've apologised to him, but very disappointed that I was sent from the field last night and let my brothers down."
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen also confirmed before the hearing that Williams would plead guilty.
"There's a [judicial] process, we trust the process. Sonny's paid a big price. The team's paid a big price for him making a mistake," Hansen said.
"He's disappointed. Not for himself, he accepts he's made a mistake, but he's disappointed because he's let the team down."
Williams has 36 caps for the All Blacks and two World Cup winners' medals from 2011 and 2015.
New Zealand have already called Highlanders centre Malakai Fekitoa into the squad as Williams' replacement, with doubts still remaining over senior midfielder Ryan Crotty after he was sidelined by a hamstring injury sustained in the first Test.
The red card was just the third shown to an All Black of all time following Cyril Brownlie in 1925 and Colin Meads in 1967, and the first ever in New Zealand.
Lions back-row Sean O'Brien will learn his own fate later on Sunday after he was retrospectively cited for a swinging arm on Waisake Naholo.
The Ireland flanker's hearing began at 8pm New Zealand time, which is 9am UK and Irish time.