Wallabies flanker Scott Higginbotham doesn't regret his attack on All Blacks captain Richie McCaw but admits he learnt his lesson from the incident.
Higginbotham, who kneed and headbutted McCaw in last month's drawn Test between the trans-Tasman rivals in Brisbane, said he was upset as the incident initially cost him a place on the Wallabies' Europe rugby tour.
He was given a two-match suspension but was called up for Australia's final two games against Italy and Wales as a replacement for lock Rob Simmons who received an eight-week ban for a dangerous tackle during the loss to France.
"I was obviously pretty filthy that I wasn't coming on tour," Higginbotham told AAP.
"I don't regret anything I did. It's just football, I suppose."
But the suspension taught him about pushing the boundaries in the game.
"It really did point out where you can get to and where to draw the line," he admitted.
"It's a physical game but I suppose it (the ban) taught me that that stuff, the off the ball stuff, you can leave out of it I guess."
He said he felt for Simmons, and admitted that he was surprised that he received such a hefty suspension.
"I obviously watched the game and seeing what Simmo had done I honestly thought he'd get a slap on the wrist, maybe a game," expalined Higginbotham.
"Simmo and I are close friends. We've sat next to each other on the bus for about three years, so it's strange how it just had to be him who gets in trouble."
Comments
masar says...
@ozinlondon lol, you're ability to assume completely made up subjective opinions are facts to state/defend a point astonishes me, and how you can write and write and say absolutely nothing, sad to see people with such a limited intellectual capacity,
Posted 12:37 21st November 2012
Trader2 says...
OzinLondon
Read the posts again, both mine and yours and try not to laugh at your last one too much.
End of.
Posted 11:21 21st November 2012
OzinLondon says...
Trader
Thanks for the parenting advice.
Be sure to tell your son that stamping on the head of another player (who has his arms pinned under a ruck and can't protect himself) is OK... so long as you're being "stupid" and not "thuggish".
Funnily enough, I have never suggested that Higginbotham's actions were commendable, just as I haven't suggested that Thompsopn's actions were deplorable. I have simply pointed out the usual double standards that you and your ilk display every year... the same double standards that you continue to show by defending a stamp on someone's head while vilifying other illegal conduct.
Let me guess. You don't think Umaga and Mealamu did anything wrong either (despite double teaming one guy, off the ball, and dropping him on his head)... but that Tuqiri's tackle on McCaw a couple of years ago was disgraceful.
Anyway. Agree to disagree, especially with your attempt to move a discussion about indiscretions by rugby players we don't know into an attack on my hypothetical parenting skills. Perhaps you can tell your son about "double standards" and "taking discussions on a rugby web site too seriously".
Posted 09:41 21st November 2012
Trinats2 says...
Trader2:
You win.
Posted 08:12 21st November 2012
Trader2 says...
Trinats
It's there for all to see, take a look at the footage. Happy to take a vote on who is the biggest fool.
Posted 05:42 21st November 2012
Trinats2 says...
Trader2:
Hope that was an attempt at sarcasm,("Mccaw raised his foot because (as can be plainly seen) Quackey ran towards him with a kick") otherwise you just come across as a fool, Not that we think any different of you !!!
Posted 21:05 20th November 2012
Trader2 says...
OzinLondon
Sorry you obviously know better than the judiciary, having poccession of all the facts no doubt. The big difference being that the ball was in play and therefore Thompsons's action was open to question, did he mean to stomp or was it a reaction to where the ball was without much thought to the consequence. (stupid in other words) As for Higginbotham, play had moved well away and he committed a simple act of thuggery, there is nothing open to question. If you think that what Higginbotham did was just a niggle then there is no point in further discussion, if you have a son please explain that to him just so he understands you when you tell him that headbutting and kneeing are just a part of the game.
Trinats
You are a simple soul, this had been done a dealt with, just look at it again and as was said by many people at the time Mccaw raised his foot because (as can be plainly seen) Quackey ran towards him with a kick aimed at the butt region, he pulled out of it when he realised McCaw had seen him coming. Quackey of course would much rather whack him when he wasn't looking - you can see the common thread here). Anyway not only is that old news but now so is Quackey.
Posted 13:51 20th November 2012
OzinLondon says...
Trader
"Thought you were better than the old "double standards" chestnut". I don't even know what that means buddy. How's the view from up on your high horse.
The vilification that has been thrown at a couple of Aussie players for daring to niggle McCaw has, quite frankly, been embarrassing. However I'm yet to hear any of the same people vilify Thompson in the same way.
Is he a "coward"? Is he a "thug"? Is he a "disgrace"? Should he be booed every time he takes the field against the Sots from this day forth? Are kiwi fans demanding his immediate sacking?
As for Thompson's action being "unintentional"? You are kidding right? That one comment shows that you really aren't in a position to sopeak objectively about Higginbotham or Cooper... or any other incident of foul play.
Posted 10:43 20th November 2012
Trinats2 says...
Trader2:
Wasn't it MaCaw (kick on Cooper)in HK that started the niggle, it's why McCaw got the shove in the back. Seems to be you Kiwis have short time memory loss (maybe it's a kiwi trait !) do you need to see the footage again ??? You will need to take your patch off !!! McCaw (offside yet again, penatly as a result) gets cleared out by Cooper and then McCaw Kicks him. By the way, MCaw wasn't even cited for this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkDTkXuxr7Q
Posted 09:41 20th November 2012
Bones7 says...
It was a bit of a non incident. The knee came in while he was trying to get Richie off his legs and wasn't that hard and the 'headbutt' was more pressing his face into his when Richie kept grabbing on. If he had kneed him properly and then headbutted him he would have been banned for a lot longer. More handbags than anything else and definitely nothing dangerous. What do you expect him to do with McCaw gripping on to his legs when the ball had gone? Fall flat on his face?
Posted 09:26 20th November 2012
Startledwombat says...
The problem here is that the player has said to the effect that ' the referee on the field made no difference to me, punishment only sunk home when the Tribunal afterwards came down hard on me.'
So all those people who said that Higginbotham was punished too severely, really need to cut their losses and admit the Tribunal had the measure of the man.
Posted 08:47 20th November 2012
Trader2 says...
OzinLondon
I presume you are talking about Thompson, I missed the punch bit? You a bit late in that most of us agreed that he got of light, the view being it was unintentional. Hogginbotham was a disgraceful act carried out in a cowardly manner. The Wannabies have form in this sort of stuff of course, Quade Cooper, didn't do him much good of course. Thought you were better than the old "double standards" chestnut. Obviously not.
Posted 07:09 20th November 2012
Dingo says...
I love the hysterical response from the kiwi's whenever anyone dares to rough up 'Rutchie.' I thought this was a game played by men?
Posted 06:36 20th November 2012
BillyMutt2 says...
I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, up to the point where he said "I don't regret anything I did. It's just football, I suppose."
With that, he went from useful-but-not-spectacular player to brainless idiot in less than two seconds. What a tool, must have spent too much time with Quade Cooper.
Posted 21:01 19th November 2012
sukkadoits says...
I rate Higginbotham, a hard man that plays on the edge, rugby needs this. Judging from his comments he doesn't regret the niggle, just that he needs to peg it back a bit. So be it. He paid his dues, good to see him on tour.
Posted 19:48 19th November 2012
OzinLondon says...
masar
You're right of course. If only he'd punched McCaw when he was pinned on the bottom of a ruck and brought his foot down on his unprotected head... then at least we'd be able to clearly see the double standards that so many ABs fan display on a frequent basis.
Niggle McCaw with a couple of love taps that he hardly felt.... "Off with his head!"
Punch and stamp on a prone players head (that the player also hardly felt).... "Well, that's different".
Of course it is guys.... if someone did that to Sir Richie we'd never hear the end of it.
Posted 16:17 19th November 2012
rugby_rockstar says...
I blame Ritchie's haircut. Red rag to a bull.
Posted 15:39 19th November 2012
Wallaroo says...
I'm not convinced that Higginbotham doesn't regret his actions.
By saying that the ban taught him that the off the ball stuff should be left out, then for intents and purposes he has accepted that his actions were wrong otherwise he'd have had no intention of changing.
Posted 15:06 19th November 2012
masar says...
of course he doesn't regret it, never mind the fact that he's not even a "has been", he's a "never was"... he can now be a "never was" who can say "you know... i once kneed and headbutted the great legend and super rugby and world chamipion grand slam winner greatest captain ever of the mighty all blacks richie mccaw..." when people discuss rugby's true greats
Posted 14:20 19th November 2012
Alistair says...
I don't disagree but perhaps we should also explain that to Adam Thomson
Posted 14:10 19th November 2012