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.