Biomechanics expert Patria Hume has played a crucial role in clearing All Blacks fullback Jordie Barrett of kicking Wallabies winger Marika Koroibete in the face during their Bledisloe Cup clash at Perth.
Barrett was red-carded by referee Damon Murphy in the first half of New Zealand's 38-21 victory, after leaping to take a high ball, but making contact with his rival as he landed, leaving Koroibete writhing on the ground in agony.
Koroibete quickly recovered and remained on the field throughout the match, but by then, Barrett was already a spectator, with his team a man down.
The All Blacks were able to replace Barrett with Damian McKenzie after 20 minutes, restoring them to their full complement of 15 players, but a SANZAAR judiciary has since cleared him of any wrongdoing and expunged the card from his record.
"Having conducted a detailed review of all the available evidence, including all camera angles and additional evidence, including from the player, a medical report on the opposition player involved and from two expert witnesses, we have found that the player had not transgressed Rule 9.11 and had therefore not committed an act of foul play," SANZAAR says.
One of those "expert witnesses" was Auckland University of Technology human performance professor Hume, who insists Barrett risked serious injury himself, if he had not reacted as he did.
"Jordie used a standard technique to go for a high ball," Hume tells Newshub. "From a biomechanics perspective, to get height to catch a ball, you raise your knee and his knee angle did not change from the point of leaving the ground to time of impacting the other player.
"While people may think Jordie kicked and extended his leg, he actually didn't do that.
"I didn't even realise that when I looked at it in full speed, but when I looked at it using biomechanical analysis, slowed it down and different angles, it became evident he hadn't changed his knee angle at all.
"Therefore, if you're looking at intent to kick, he didn't actually kick."
Without that action, Barrett would have over-rotated backwards to hit his head on the ground.
"If he hadn't done that, because his trunk was back and his take-off motion was causing him to rotate like a somersault, he would have continued to rotate and land on his head," insists Hume.
SANZAAR accepted that explanation and Barrett is now available for selection this week against Argentina.
"I'm super grateful to avoid sanction by the panel," says Barrett. "It was a long process and very thorough - a couple of South Africans and an Argentinian on the panel, and they handled it very well.
"I guess they could see I had no intent to hurt Marika - he's a well-respected opponent and I'm happy to see he's come away with no serious injury."
Murphy's initial decision sparked howls of outrage from NZ rugby circles, with All Blacks coach Ian Foster immediately resolving to fight the charge and All Blacks legend Sir John Kirwan describing the call as "ridiculous".
"Absolute bad call, for me," Sir John says on Sky Sport's Breakdown.
"I think actually there was probably fault on both sides - don't you need to let the player land before you actually attack him?
"[Barrett's] a bit off balance leaning backwards, your leg always kicks out. Ridiculous decision."
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