Mulitalo Banned for World Cup Semi-Final After Fiji Send-Off

New Zealand's road to the Rugby League World Cup semi-final has become harder, with winger Ronaldo Mulitalo handed a one-match ban for the high tackle that saw him sent off during the Kiwis' 78-0 rout of Fiji. The match review committee charged the 26-year-old with a Grade 2 Careless High Tackle after he rushed out of the defensive line in the 51st minute and collected Fijian opposite Ronald Philitoga with a high shoulder while New Zealand were already leading 48-0. The one-match suspension rules Mulitalo out of next Saturday night's semi-final at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle, where the Kiwis will face the winner of Sunday's sold-out showdown between Tonga and Samoa. The ban would rise to two matches if Mulitalo chose to fight the charge and lost, so the winger has accepted his fate. There was better news elsewhere for coach Stacey Jones: middle forward Joseph Tapine, placed on report for a dangerous tackle in the same match, escaped charge and will be free to play, while Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad is set to take Mulitalo's place on the wing. The decision closes a nervous wait for New Zealand, who had already been sweating on the judiciary outcome, and leaves the defending champions reshuffling their back line at the worst possible moment of the tournament.