Melbourne Rebels flanker Scott Higginbotham has been called up for Australia's remaining tour matches against Italy and Wales.
Higginbotham has been serving a two-game suspension after being cited for striking New Zealand captain Richie McCaw.
His call-up comes after Rob Simmons was banned for eight weeks by the IRB for a tip tackle of France flanker Yannick Nyanga during Australia's 33-6 defeat in Paris.
The Wallabies face Italy in Florence next weekend before finishing off their northern hemisphere tour against Wales at the end of the month.
Higginbotham has won 21 caps for Australia, scoring two tries against Wales back in June and against South Africa in The Rugby Championship.
Comments
ferdie says...
Higginbotham - sounds a bright chap, some might say a right thicko . . . after his ban for kneeing and headbutting just a few weeks back:
"I don't regret anything I did. It's just football I suppose. It really did point out where you can get to and where to draw the line. 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."
And on the Simmons 8 week ban: "seeing what Simmo had done I honestly thought he'd get a slap on the wrist, maybe a game"
Posted 03:29 19th November 2012
georgesmith says...
S. Higginbothom is quality player. Sack grandpa N.Sharpe, D. Dennis, S. Kepu, R. Deans and Wallabies will beat all the teams and win all the trophies.
Posted 01:47 19th November 2012
Trader2 says...
I am no fan of Higginbotham, but fair do's he has served his sentence, so lighten up guys. target the IRB not the man. Surprised at you APV1 with your "thug" tag, you are normally more rational than most of us. Pressure getting to you old chap?
Posted 00:34 17th November 2012
rugby_phile says...
I was going to say what a disgrace it is etc. etc. but after Thomson I decided to shut up. Glass houses, stones and all that paraphenalia!!!
Posted 22:10 16th November 2012
ArmchairGeneral says...
Not sure we will all love Stu if we lose the next 3 which swings on the next game. Baxter should be secretly thinking he might yet be England WC coach. He would be a great England coach. But I would rather stick with Stu and see a win tomorrow. It's that big a game to me.
Posted 21:42 16th November 2012
APV1 says...
@ craigsman - Ashton's ban was for three successive yellow cards, not one "big" issue. That's why the sanction was light - it was a slap on the wrist and a gentle warning.
Posted 16:22 16th November 2012
melkdave says...
Just shows what an utter disgrace that original ban was imo.Irb really has to get consistant on this ,and make any ban worth it ,pain wise to the player,atm all its done islet him have 2 weeks sunning himself ,and resting.
Posted 14:24 16th November 2012
craigsman says...
APV1 - agreed. But then that is why we all love Stu.
I suppose people will say that Ashy came straight back in and that is the same. I think the difference is that whilst highly competitive, annoying and also a bit thick, I don't think Ashy is deliberately malicious....
... Mmmm, lovely Stu.
Posted 14:21 16th November 2012
Ramage says...
@APV1 LOl but you make a good point. Lets see what happens to Thompson and see if Hansen gives him game time. I hope not.
Posted 13:57 16th November 2012
APV1 says...
One thug out, another in.
Nice touch.
Thank Goodness you don't have a thug playing at 10, as that would be terrible...
Why does this bother me, when English players are "just as bad"? Because at least Lancaster has the courage of his convictions and actually drops players who misbehave. One could argue that we might have won the 6N if Care had been playing. But it was a matter of principal and a stance which I'm glad he took.
Posted 10:31 16th November 2012