Johannesburg - New South Wales Waratahs winger Rob Horne was suspended for three weeks on Sunday after being found guilty of dangerous play in a Super 15 rugby match on Saturday.
The 25-year-old Wallaby international lifted Golden Lions centre Lionel Mapoe and then flung him to the ground after 27 minutes of the match won 27-22 by the Lions in Johannesburg.
He was sin-binned for the foul and later cited.
Waratahs flanker Jacques Potgieter received a similar punishment in the second half after a late, no-arms tackle, but was not cited.
Knockout stage
Super 15 organisers SANZAR announced the suspension of Horne in a statement after a judicial hearing.
The ban prevents Horne from playing for the Sydney side in the final two rounds of the league season.
Defending champions Waratahs meet the Cheetahs on June 6 and host the Queensland Reds one week later.
He would also miss the first round of the knockout stage should the Waratahs be involved.
The absence of Horne is another blow to an Australian outfit reeling from the suspensions of forwards Silatolu Latu (four weeks) and Will Skelton (two weeks) for illegal tackling.