Tom Kingston
Bryce Hegarty
Scott Higginbotham
Melbourne Rebels outside back Tom Kingston has been ruled out of his team’s final regular Super Rugby season match against the Bulls in Pretoria afetr succumbing to an ongoing chronic knee injury.
Kingston, who has flown home from South Africa and has been battling Patella Tendinopathy throughout the duration of the season, started on the wing against the Lions on the weekend however will now head back to Melbourne to undergo further assessment before the Club are able to decide what course of action to take to repair his knee.
Young flyhalf Bryce Hegarty remains in South Africa undergoing further assessment to a shoulder injury sustained against the Lions, and remains in doubt for the season-ending clash against the Bulls.
Scott Higginbotham meanwhile was suspended for a week after receiving his 3rd Yellow Card of the season.
Scott Higginbotham of the Rebels has been suspended for one week by a SANZAR Duty Judicial Officer.
According to the SANZAR Judicial Rules, Higginbotham was required to face a hearing after being shown a third yellow card in the 2014 Super Rugby season.
A player who has received three yellow cards (whether on or off field, or any combination thereof) arising from matches in the same Super Rugby competition shall be required to appear before the Duty Judicial Officer appointed for the match during which he last offended.
At the same time as notification of the details of his hearing pursuant to Rule 4.1, the player shall be sent copies of the match officials’ reports in relation to each incident and be advised that the purpose of the hearing before the Duty Judicial Officer is to consider the circumstances in which each yellow card was imposed and determine whether any further penalty should be imposed on him by reason of his persistent foul play.
SANZAR Duty Judicial Officer Nicholas Davidson QC heard the case and ruled the following:
Scott Higginbotham received yellow cards in Round 9 (professional foul), in Round 14 (a late charge of the kicker) and in Round 18 (lifting tackle).
The final incident was regarded as more serious and for that reason, and the fact that the player had been sitting on two yellow cards and knew a judicial process would follow, a one-week suspension was imposed.
These incidents are an indication of persistent offending which after scrutiny warrant further sanction. The yellow card breaches did not result in any judicial scrutiny.
Higginbotham was appointed captain of the Rebels and is the most experienced player in the team, held in very high regard by his coach and management. He has endeavoured to lead this team by example, but has played with a degree of intensity which has overreached in his accumulation of three yellow cards.
The player has also previously received a three-week disciplinary sanction while playing at at international level in 2012.
The DJO concluded that Rule 6.1 is not prescriptive of further sanction, but for three acts of foul play including a professional foul, a sanction will usually follow unless review of each carding militates against suspension and/or the playing round is such as to warrant a caution only.
The player was suspended up to and including Friday 11 July 2014.
All SANZAR disciplinary matters are in the first instance referred to a Duty Judicial Officer hearing to provide the option of expediting the judicial process.
Player: Scott Higginbotham
Team: Melbourne Rebels
Position: Number 8
Date of Yellow Card Incidents:
- Round 9 – Chiefs v Rebels, 12 April 2014
- Round 14 – Reds v Rebels, 17 May 2014
- Round 18 – Lions v Rebels, 4 July 2014