Wallaby cleared after foul-play charge

NEWS: Taniela Tupou will play for the Queensland Reds against the Waratahs on Saturday after successfully fighting a foul-play charge at the judiciary.

The barnstorming prop was set to miss two weeks after SANZAAR’s citing commissioner deemed Tupou had struck Brumbies flank Jahrome Hughes above the shoulder in an aggressive clean-out.

That’s despite the referee and his television match official clearing Tupou at the time of the incident.

The Reds challenged the ruling and were rewarded on Wednesday when the judiciary committee, after analysis of all camera angles and player submissions, deemed his actions did not meet the red card threshold.

“The Judicial Committee found that there was no evidence of direct contact made by the player’s shoulder with his opponent’s head,” judiciary chair Nigel Hampton said.

“In the event there was any contact with the opponent’s neck it was secondary and of insufficient danger to warrant either a red or yellow card.

“The player is therefore free to resume playing.”

It’s some solace for the Reds (4-1), who lost 12-16 to the Brumbies last week and were left fuming when Fraser McReight’s chase of the ball for a match-winning try was not reviewed despite claims of obstruction.