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Sunday, 28 July, 2002, 09:12 GMT 10:12 UK
Brawl pair escape bans
Saturday's Test match was a stormy affair
Saturday's Test match was a stormy affair
Australia's Justin Harrison and South Africa's Faan Rautenbach will not be suspended for fighting during Saturday's Tri-Nations Test match.

The pair were cited after the brawl during Australia's 38-27 win and faced a South Africa New Zealand Australia Rugby (Sanzar) judicial panel.

Harrison had received a yellow card for the incident and was sin-binned, but Rautenbach's actions went unseen by match officials.


We're a side that prides itself on fair play and we're disappointed with our actions
Eddie Jones

The committee decided that Harrison's punishment was sufficient and imposed a retrospective yellow card on Rautenbach.

"In the case of Rautenbach, the committee was satisfied that the allegation of striking was proved," a Sanzar statement said.

"The committee imposed a penalty - the equivalent of a yellow card - which has consequences for the player should he further infringe during the Tri-Nation series."

Jones' warning

Wallaby hooker Jeremy Paul, who was sin-binned for punching Rautenbach, had also been cited but that statement was later withdrawn.

The fight was sparked after Werner Greeff's dangerous tackle on Chris Latham, for which he received a yellow card.

Australia coach Eddie Jones has called on his side to keep their discipline, making it clear he does not want a repeat incident when they face New Zealand on Saturday.

He said: "You've always got to be careful in those situations when they boil over.

"Emotion in the tight five is always a tough thing and it's something that we need to keep under control.

"It's not good for the game of rugby and we don't like to be involved in those incidents.

"We're a side that prides itself on fair play and we're disappointed with our actions and we'll learn from it."

Meanwhile, backs Wendell Sailor and Andrew Walker and flanker David Croft have been called up to the Australia squad for Saturday's match with New Zealand in Sydney.

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Quentin Hull for BBC Sport
"It was an amazing Test match"
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