Reds forward Angus Scott-Young is free to play in the derby against the Rebels on Saturday after escaped suspension despite being found guilty of foul play by a SANZAAR Judicial Committee hearing.
Scott-Young was cited after a review of video from the clash against the Brumbies found the backrower contravened law 9.12: a player must not abuse anyone, when he appeared to have struck Slipper in a ruck late in the first half of the Reds' win against the Brumbies at Suncorp Stadium.
While the review officer found the red card threshold had been met, a hearing via video conference on Wednesday afternoon disagreed and judicial committee chairman Robert Stelzner SC and panel members Chris Smith and Mike Mika issued a warning.
Scott-Young and his legal representative Mark Martin QC made submissions during the hearing from Ballymore.
Stelzner upheld the citing for an act of foul play, ruling in part there was an "absence of malicious intent".
"Having conducted a detailed review of the available evidence, in particular a video showing a close up of the incident, and hearing from the player himself and considering submissions from his legal representative, Mark Martin QC, the Judicial Committee upheld the citing of an act of foul play under Law 9.12," Stelzner said in his remarks.
"The Judicial Committee however found that the act of foul play did not meet the Red Card threshold due to amongst other factors the fact that the initial point of contact appeared to have been between the player’s forearm and his opponent’s back / shoulder area, the resultant contact thereafter between the back of the player's closed fist and his opponent’s head was minimal / glancing and the player’s explanation for the incident, including his attempt to protect his previously injured hand by closing his fist during the clean out, revealed absence of malicious intent.
“It was determined that during the course of a legitimate, albeit clumsy, attempt to clean out his opponent, the back of the player’s closed fist made contact with the back of his opponent’s head with minimal consequence.
"It was decided that while the citing was warranted in that there had been contact between the player’s hand and the back of his opponent’s head which amounted to a striking of his opponent’s head, this was not intentional nor so reckless as to have warranted a red card on the field. As a result a warning would be issued to the player."
Scott-Young's availability is a boost for the Reds, whose backrow stocks thinned after Caleb Timu was suspended for punching during a Queensland Premier Rugby match at the weekend.
