Boot in head by Kiwi ‘not malicious’
The frontrower allegedly stamped by New Zealand-born Edinburgh prop Simon Berghan has defended his Scottish test teammate ahead of a disciplinary hearing which could see Berghan banned for the Six Nations series.
Berghan, 27, was sent off in the sixth minute of Edinburgh’s Pro 14 derby against Scottish rivals Glasgow last weekend after his boot connected with Glasgow Warriors hooker Fraser Brown’s head in a ruck at Murrayfield.
Brown has since told reporters Berghan’s act was not malicious, but was ‘‘good-natured fun’’.
Edinburgh went on to win 18-17 despite playing with 14 men for 74 minutes, but Edinburgh coach Richard Cockerill later acknowledged it was a clear red card offence.
Brown, who plays with Berghan in the Scottish front row, told The Scotsman newspaper yesterday that there was no malice in the incident.
‘‘It was just one of those things, I think it was an accident,’’ Brown said.
‘‘I spoke to Bergs afterwards, it was not malicious. It looks so innocuous, it is one of these that can catch you out.
‘‘I think he has seen my back and has gone to put his foot on my back in good-natured fun and caught my head.
‘‘There was nothing in it, you just have to be so careful with boots in rucks. These days safety is so paramount in the game, it is headline stuff.
‘‘It was just one of those things, unfortunate for Simon but …’’
The BBC Sport website reported Berghan would appear via video link before a Pro 14 disciplinary panel comprising three Irish officials today.
He has been charged with breaching Law 10.4 (b) - ‘‘A player must not stamp or trample an opponent’’.
World Rugby’s foul play regulations state that ‘‘stamping, trampling the head shall result in a top-end entry-point sanction’’ of at least 12 weeks, BBC Sport said.
Berghan grew up in Christchurch and was part of the Canterbury rugby academy before signing for Edinburgh in 2014.
The tighthead prop made his Scotland debut in 2017 and has so far won five caps, including appearances against the All Blacks and the Wallabies.