ENGLAND lost for the fourth time on tour and were involved in two late
brawls with South Africa A in an ultimately nasty match in Kimberley
yesterday. Joel Stransky won the game for South Africa's hopefuls
19-16 with a drop goal eight minutes from time.
As England struggled for the score that would have saved the match,
forwards engaged in fights on halfway and then on the England goal line.
Hookers Graham Dawe and James Dalton probably threw more blows than
anybody, but the captains Dean Ryan and Adrian Richter also showed their
punching prowess.
Referee Stef Neethling more or less gave up and in effect abandoned
the match one minute early.
Ryan said later: ''Violence is part and parcel of the game,'' but both
sides were anxious to play down the violence during England's fourth
defeat in five games. ''Let's concentrate on 79 minutes of fantastic
rugby,'' he added.
South Africa A manager Jackie Abrahams said: ''It was a major punch-up
and punching is not part of the game. Rugby is not boxing.''
Neethling said: ''I did not consider sending anybody off. How can you
pick out one man when there are many offenders? The trouble started in
the scrum.''
Ironically, England played the best rugby of the tour, with Stuart
Barnes constantly moving the ball wide, giving England's backs a rare
opportunity to scrutinise the strength of the opposition backs.
But the ball was lost in contact too often and one drop allowed the
Springboks decisively back into the game.
It took England 24 minutes to make the run-hit policy pay. By that
time Stransky had landed a penalty from 40 yards.
England's try involved slick handling by Barnes, Mike Catt, Jonathan
Callard, and Stuart Potter, who transferred to Damian Hopley.
Callard converted the right-wing's try and kicked a penalty for a 10-3
interval lead for England.
Lawrence Dallaglio surrendered the ball when tackled and South Africa
took full advantage from 60 yards. They swept downfield, and centre
Christian Scholtz scored the try.
But Callard made it 18-13 to England before Stransky won the match
with a comprehensive display of scoring. He thumped over a penalty from
halfway and burst down the left touchline for a try.
Callard dragged England back to 16-16, before Stransky took the
drop-goal option when the South Africans had a scrum in front of
England's posts.
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