Sonny Bill Williams leaves the field after being shown a red card in the second test against the British and Irish Lions.

New Zealand Rugby has confirmed Sonny Bill Williams will appeal the decision by the game's international governing body to extend the All Blacks midfielder's suspension through to the opening Bledisloe Cup contest in Sydney on August 19.

World Rugby released its decision overnight on Friday (NZT) that it was ruling out two of the three matches submitted as part of Williams' proposed suspension, confirming his four-week ban would extend through until the first Bledisloe.

But on Friday evening NZ Rugby released a statement confirming an appeal by Williams.

"Sonny Bill Williams has appealed the World Rugby judicial committee's decision not to include the All Blacks match on 11 August (a split game of 40 minutes each against Counties Manukau and Taranaki) in the four-week suspension given to Williams following a hearing into the red card he received in the second test against the touring British & Irish Lions," the statement said.

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"As the matter will now be decided by an appeal committee, no further comment will be made at this time."

It us understood that both NZR and the All Blacks are highly upset by the WR judicial committee decision not to recognise the specially arranged game of a half each against provincial opponents Taranaki and Counties as constituting a "meaningful" match.

They believe strongly that it does meet that definition, and Williams will base his appeal on that. They are hopeful that they can have the decision overturned.

The World Rugby judicial committee said in its decision that two of the matches submitted by NZ Rugby to count towards Williams' four-week ban for a dangerous tackle did not make the grade.

NZ Rugby had submitted the All Blacks' clash against Taranaki and Counties Manukau on August 11, a Counties inter-squad hitout and and an NPC pre-season game as contests to count in the ban.

"Since the hearing on 2 July, the disciplinary committee has been receiving and reviewing additional submissions and evidence from the player's side relating to his upcoming schedule of matches," World Rugby said in a statement.

"Following due consideration, the disciplinary committee has ruled that Williams' suspension will extend up to and including 19 August. As such, he is free to play again from 20 August."

Williams has already served two of the four matches of his ban after not playing in the third test against the Lions and also the Blues' shock defeat to the Sunwolves in the final round of the Super Rugby regular season.

New Zealand Rugby said at the hearing he would also be part of Counties Manukau's pre-season game against North Harbour, an inter-squad match against a Counties B lineup and the "game of three halves" the All Blacks are set to play against Counties and Taranaki.

However, in their official decision, World Rugby deemed both the inter-squad match and All Blacks hitout against Counties and Taranaki did not meet the criteria to count for Williams' suspension.

The All Blacks have no problems with the Counties inter-squad hitout being rubbed out, but are puzzled why a televised match that will be fully officiated and have paying spectators has been summarily dismissed.

The ironic thing is if they had been playing just one of either Taranaki or Counties in a full match it would almost certainly have been recognised. But the All Blacks choose to play 40 minutes each against separate sides to make the games as competitive as possible.

All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen last week said Williams' could possibly serve one of the games in a club fixture but admitted to Radio Sport it would be contentious whether that qualified.

"If that's not the case then we'll get him back just for the test match.

"If it is considered then we'll get him back for the game of three halves that we play every year before the [national provincial championship] and Bledisloe starts."

World Rugby said they were "not satisfied" the Counties inter-squad fixture was a "meaningful match" which would have a "meaningful consequence".

The inclusion of the All Blacks' fixture was denied on the basis that regulations maintain a match must be of two halves and "not three segments", while it was possibility there could be the "introduction of a new team of fifteen players after halftime".

Williams received the red card for a shoulder charge to the head of Lions wing Anthony Watson.