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Cape Town - England hooker Dylan Hartley claims he did not stamp on Springbok No 8 Duane Vermeulen during last Saturday's Test at Twickenham.
Hartley, 28, was sent to the sin-bin in the 61st minute of the Test for stamping on Vermeulen.
Referee Steve Walsh referred the incident to the television match official and after several replays were shown on the big screen, which depicted Hartley stamping on Vermeulen, Walsh sent the hooker off for 10 minutes.
However, Hartley has protested his innocence, claiming he stood rather than stamped on Vermeulen.
Hartley protested his innocence via a column in The Sun newspaper.
He wrote: “I swear there was no malice in what I did. I’m furious at myself… I hope people won’t blame me for another narrow defeat. Treading on him was probably a daft thing to do. But it happens plenty of times in club games and even in internationals - and it does go unpunished.”
The Boks won the Test 31-28 to record their 11th win in 12 matches over England. England's only recent 'positive' was a 14-all draw in Port Elizabeth two years ago, while their last win over South Africa came in November 2006.
Hartley, 28, was sent to the sin-bin in the 61st minute of the Test for stamping on Vermeulen.
Referee Steve Walsh referred the incident to the television match official and after several replays were shown on the big screen, which depicted Hartley stamping on Vermeulen, Walsh sent the hooker off for 10 minutes.
However, Hartley has protested his innocence, claiming he stood rather than stamped on Vermeulen.
Hartley protested his innocence via a column in The Sun newspaper.
He wrote: “I swear there was no malice in what I did. I’m furious at myself… I hope people won’t blame me for another narrow defeat. Treading on him was probably a daft thing to do. But it happens plenty of times in club games and even in internationals - and it does go unpunished.”
The Boks won the Test 31-28 to record their 11th win in 12 matches over England. England's only recent 'positive' was a 14-all draw in Port Elizabeth two years ago, while their last win over South Africa came in November 2006.
