An appeal by the ACT Brumbies over the severity of the suspension handed out to Henry Speight has been dismissed by the SANZAR judiciary appeals committee.

The winger was banned after being found guilty of a dangerous lifting tackle on Stormers captain Juan de Jongh in the Super Rugby qualifying final win in Cape Town earlier this month.

The penalty means he missed the Brumbies’ losing semi-final effort against the Hurricanes in Wellington and the first two Tests of the Rugby Championship against South Africa and Argentina.

The committee dismissed the appeal because it found that the tackle involved both lifting and driving, saying the penalty imposed wasn’t excessive.