All Blacks lock Brad Thorn has been suspended for one week after being found guilty of making a dangerous tackle on Springboks captain John Smit in the Tri-Nations rugby Test on Saturday night.

A Sanzar judicial hearing on Sunday imposed the sanction on Thorn, who will miss the next match against South Africa in Dunedin next Saturday.

The All Blacks beat South Africa 19-8 on Saturday night after a physical confrontation in wet, cold conditions in Wellington.

Thorn's tackle on Smit came just six minutes into the game, when he appeared to lift the South African hooker and drop him to the turf after the whistle blew.

Smit was seen on camera asking Australian referee Stuart Dickinson "is that not a spear?".

Smit later left the field with a groin injury.

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