Wynne Gray: McCaw collision innocuous

No hard feelings: Richie McCaw and Francois Louw shake hands after the game. Photo / Getty

World Cup officials have made an art-form out of blowing miniscule incidents into major acts of thuggery.

If they decide an accidental collision between All Black flanker Richie McCaw and Springbok rival Francois Louw is anything but innocuous, they need to hand in their badges.

McCaw is no saint as he runs the legal margins every time he challenges for possession at rucks, breakdown and tackled ball zones. However he is no cheap shot merchant.

There's always a first time but today's 20-18 semifinal victory against the Springboks was not that stage despite suggestions the All Black captain might be called to explain his impact with Louw at the back of a Bok ruck.

Footage shows McCaw zeroing in to chase the Boks as they cleared the ball and as he does, Louw lifts his head from the breakdown and McCaw hits him with his right side. There's no sign of McCaw raising his arm for a cheap shot nor any indication from either player the incident was anything but part of the game.