Rugby Union - All Blacks training - Sydney, Australia - August 17, 2017 - New Zealand's All Blacks rugby union player Sonny Bill Williams passes the ball during a training session before the first Bledisloe Cup game against Australia's Wallabies. REUTERS/Jason Reed
WELLINGTON (Reuters) - Southern hemisphere rugby's governing body has said New Zealand's Sonny Bill Williams should have been removed from last week's game against Australia after suffering a head knock but cleared medical officials of "deliberate failure" after they missed the incident.
Williams appeared to be disorientated and stumbled after making a tackle early in the All Blacks' 54-34 Rugby Championship win but was not checked by his team's medical staff or the independent Head Injury Assessment (HIA) doctor.
