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Reds captain unaware of banned Slipper's drug habit
By Online Editors
Reds captain Scott Higginbotham has admitted he was unaware of teammate James Slipper's drug-related problems.
It was announced Thursday that the Queensland and Wallabies veteran had been issued a two-month ban and $27,500 fine from Rugby Australia after testing positive to cocaine twice this year.
Higginbotham said that while he knew of the prop’s mental health struggles, he had no idea about his drug habit.
“I’m sad for him; being a mate, what he’s been going through outside of football is not something you want to see,” Higginbotham told Fox Sports.
“You think you’re a close enough mate that he’d explain to you and tell you everything.
“But that’s the circumstances; he’s a cagey sort of person, likes to keep things to himself, keep them on the inside and we didn’t have any idea.”
Higginbotham denied a drug issue at the club. Slipper's suspension comes just months after fellow Red and Wallaby Karmichael Hunt pleaded guilty to Xanax possession after avoiding a cocaine possession charge.
“It’s not concerning... every person’s different aren’t they,” Higginbotham said.
Slipper is off contract at the end of the season. Higginbotham said would like to see him back on the field eventually.
“You want the best thing for him; first and foremost he has to get himself right mentally, sort out these off-field issues,” he said.
“Once he’s done that and ready, that’s when he’ll play.”
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Latest Comments
Disagree.
The challenge for the All Blacks now that they have 7 of 8 starting forwards locked in and all but one bench forward (only one loose forward and bench loosie to settle on) is to sort out the starting backline as only 9 Roigard, 12 J. Barrett, 11 Clarke and 15 Jordan had good to outstanding seasons in 2024. All the other backs were inconsistent or poor and question marks going into 2025.
Go to commentshe should not be playing 12. He should be playing 10 and team managers should stop playing players out of position to accommodate libbok.
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