Super Rugby
Higginbotham cleared of McCaw stamping charge
ESPN Staff
February 17, 2015
Scott Higginbotham looks on during a Wallabies training session, Palms Sports Fields, Gold Coast, on September 11, 2014
Scott Higginbotham: contact was judged accidental © Getty Images
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Scott Higginbotham has been cleared of a charge that he stamped on Richie McCaw during the Super Rugby season-opening fixture between the Crusaders and Melbourne Rebels in Christchurch on Friday.

SANZAR duty judicial officer Adam Casselden led the hearing by via video conference, with former Queensland reds and Australia flanker David Croft attending as a judicial technical adviser.

"After hearing from the player and Mr Tim North QC and watching the video footage a number of times, I could not be satisfied on the balance of probabilities that the player intentionally or deliberately stamped his opponent," Casselden judged.

"I accepted the evidence of Mr Higginbotham that he was attempting to jump over his opponent who was rolling towards him when he miscalculated his jump and made accidental contact with the opponent's head.

"This evidence was consistent with the evidence of Mr McCaw, who stated that Mr Higginbotham immediately apologised to him after the incident saying it was accidental. Mr McCaw accepted Mr Higginbotham's apology as genuine."

Rebels half-back Nic Stirzaker was found guilty on Sunday of a similar charge of stamping on McCaw. He was banned for one week and hence will miss Melbourne's round-two fixture against the Waratahs at AAMI Park on Friday.

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