New Zealand number eight Sione Lauaki was today handed a two-week suspension after committing a dangerous tackle during Saturday's World Cup Pool C win over Romania.

The 26-year-old will therefore be unavailable for the All Blacks' World Cup quarter-final encounter with France in Cardiff on Saturday night.

If the Kiwis were to progress, Lauaki would also miss the semi-final against Australia or England but would be free to play in the final.

The Waikato Chiefs back-row forward, who has 48 hours to appeal the decision, is not a regular in Graham Henry's first team, but would have been battling for a place on the replacements' bench.