Former All Blacks five-eighth Lima Sopoaga has labelled Darcy Swain “an absolute coward” in an extraordinary Twitter attack on the banned Wallabies lock.
Sopoaga played 18 Tests for New Zealand between 2015-17 and now plies his club trade in France with Lyon.
The 31-year-old took aim at Swain in the wake of Thursday’s news that All Blacks midfielder Quinn Tupaea would be sidelined for nine months due to extensive damage to the ACL in his left knee.
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Tupaea suffered the injury in the explosive Bledisloe Cup Test in Melbourne, as Swain wrenched his knee in an ugly and illegal cleanout.
Swain was yellow carded by French referee Mathieu Raynal for the incident and was later suspended for six weeks by SANZAAR’s judiciary panel.
“Swain is an absolute coward for this,” Sopoaga wrote.
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“Was no need for such a cheap shot. 9 months for 6 weeks seems fair, Joke of a suspension.”
Swain, 25, has had a rocky year after also being red carded for headbutting England antagonist Jonny Hill, who had pulled his hair in a scuffle.
The All Blacks were furious with Swain’s actions at Marvel Stadium and Beauden Barrett summed up their feelings.
Wallabies lock sent off for headbutt
“He basically didn’t see it coming,” Barrett said of Tupaea.
“He was a sitting duck… it was a bit of a free shot.
“I feel for him because he’s going to be out of the game for a long time and I’m not too sure what’s happening in their camp with Darcy Swain. We don’t like to see these sorts of injuries.”
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