Cleared of athlete hit

A YOUNG Englishman has been cleared of flooring Australia’s former rugby sevens captain during an argument outside a Sydney kebab shop.

Sam Oliver, 23, claimed he acted in self-defence when he punched then-skipper and Olympian James Stannard, 35, in Coogee in the early hours of March 30.

Oliver was found not guilty of recklessly causing grievous bodily harm, with the “critical finding” being that Oliver’s own facial injuries “must have occurred” when he was arguing with Stannard.