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John Higgins has sided in favour of Ronnie O'Sullivan following the latest row surrounding chalk usage at the World Snooker Championship. O'Sullivan still uses Triangle chalk, while virtually every other player on the Tour opts for chalk manufactured by a brand called Taom.

O'Sullivan's decision is often criticised because Triangle chalk is known for leaving visible streaky marks on the table. This was the case during O'Sullivan's last-16 clash with Higgins at the World Championship over the weekend.

So much so, the commentary team even picked up on the marks, explaining to viewers that it's because the Rocket uses a different chalk to almost all of his competitors. Despite the mess it made, Higgins doesn't see anything wrong with O'Sullivan using the chalk, as long as it remains within the rules.

When quizzed on chalk-gate, Higgins said: "Why wouldn't you take the advantage when you have got a better cue ball control than every other player? So why wouldn't you have that advantage?

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"Because if you're going in at a level playing field, everybody's using the same chalk, no chalk marks, everything, it maybe gives players more chance of beating them. That's what people do in every sport, they try to use the little advantage. I don't know, you'd obviously have to ask Ronnie's real feelings about that, about using old chalk. Who knows?"

Fellow competitor Neil Robertson was less sympathetic, with the Aussie having previously said: "Oh Jesus, ban that c**p, please. All the players hate it, it just destroys the game. You get kicks, you get bounces, not only that, it makes an absolute mess of the table.

"I know he's good friends with Damien Hirst, but it's like he's doing artwork with the chalk all over the cloth. I don't think he does it to kind of put off anyone, he's not that way inclined at all, but it's not great.

"It's hard enough to play Ronnie O'Sullivan and also when he's the only player just about on Tour left who uses that chalk, so, hopefully, they bring in a ban, but there's only a couple of players that use it."