Rugby: Cooper cleared of kneeing McCaw

Wallaby Quade Cooper is free to start the Rugby World Cup after escaping suspension for kneeing Richie McCaw. Photo / Getty Images

Wallabies playmaker Quade Cooper is free to start the Rugby World Cup after escaping suspension for kneeing All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw.

Cooper had been cited for striking McCaw with his knee in the second half of Saturday night's 25-20 Tri-Nations clinching victory at Suncorp Stadium but the charge was dismissed on Sunday morning.

SANZAR judicial officer Jannie Lubbe took little time to clear the influential five-eighth in a hearing which took 45 minutes in total.

A relieved Cooper can now start for Australia when they kick off their World Cup campaign against Italy at North Harbour Stadium in two weeks.

"I'm just very grateful and happy for a fair hearing and I'm just looking forward to getting on with rugby and focussing on the World Cup," he said.

"Any time that you have to face the judiciary it's going to be a sleepless night. I'm just happy to get a fair hearing and now I can get a good sleep."

While cameras caught clear view of Cooper kneeing McCaw in the head after the ball had left a ruck, the No.10 explained he was just looking to get to the next play of the game.

"There were bodies everywhere and ... it's a contact sport and blokes are going to come into contact with each other," he said.

The incident was the latest in an ongoing 10-month battle between Cooper and McCaw. It dates back to Hong Kong last October when the Wallabies five-eighth delivered an in-goal head shove to the All Blacks flanker after James O'Connor scored a last-gasp try.

The niggle has continued through this season in Super Rugby clashes between Queensland and the Crusaders, as well as the opening Bledisloe Test in Auckland.

But Cooper denied there was anything personal and said the incidents were a result of both doing their jobs in tight matches for their teams.

"It's (now) a good time to think back and celebrate winning the Tri-Nations after a 10-year drought," he said.

"Last night I was happy for the team but I had other things on my mind."

- AAP