Queensland Reds prop Taniela Tupou has been cleared to play against the NSW Waratahs after being found not guilty of 'dangerous play.'
Tupou was cited after collecting Jahrome Brown whilst attempting a cleanout, despite initially avoiding any sanctioning during the four-point defeat.
The damaging prop faced up to three weeks on the sidelines if found guilty, however, SANZAAR Judicial Committee Hearing ruled he did not breach Law 9.20 - Dangerous play in a ruck or maul.
"The Judicial Committee conducted a detailed review of all the available evidence, including all camera angles, and submissions from the player, and the Player's legal representative, Mark Martin QC," Judicial Committee Chairman Nigel Hampton QC ruled.
"The Judicial Committee deemed that the Red Card threshold has not been met and the citing was dismissed.
“The Judicial Committee found that there was no evidence of direct contact made by the Player's shoulder with his opponent's head. 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.”
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"We're going to be fighting that," Reds co-captain Liam Wright said about the incident on Tuesday.
"We're under the impression that it was a bit hard done by; we felt that it was shoulder on shoulder, which I'm pretty sure was cleared with the TMO (television match official) on the night and played on.
"With the scrutiny we've got on the games at the moment and refs checking a lot of stuff, once it gets cleared on field we expect it to stay that way."
The Reds named Tupou to start against the Waratahs, joined in the starting side by the returning Tate McDermott.
