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

The penalty, imposed following a SANZAR (South Africa, New Zealand, Australia rugby) judicial hearing Sunday, means Thorn will miss the second Test against South Africa in Dunedin next weekend.

He was a key figure in an immensely physical first Test won by the All Blacks 19-8 to maintain 10 years of dominance at home against South Africa.

In the fifth minute of the game, Thorn picked up Smit and dropped him on the ground, sparking an all-in brawl.

Smit later left the field with a groin injury which he said developed after he was treated "like a tent peg."

Thorn was cited by the match commissioner Tim Harland and not by the Springboks.

After the Test, Smit described the tackle as a "heat of the moment" incident and said Thorn had immediately apologised.

"It's part and parcel with any combative situation between All Blacks and Springboks," the Springbok captain and hooker said.

"The first thing he did was come and say sorry and that it was unnecessary. There are no personal issues with things like that."