LIONS MANAGER Fran Cotton yesterday called on rugby authorities to standardise punishment for foul play. The call came after the derisory penalties imposed by the Mpumalanga RU on Marius Bosman and Elandre van der Berg.
Bosman put Doddie Weir out of the tour last week - he damaged Weir's knee so severely that the Scot's future career is in doubt - while van der Berg stamped on Rob Wainwright in the Lions match against Mpumalanga.
The Mpumalanga union had stated that as Bosman and Van der Berg were penalised by the referee, they could not take any action against the players other than impose fines because of the terms of the tour agreement. That certainly has a hollow ring. Scott Gibbs was found guilty of aiming a punch at Northern Transvaal wing Grant Esterhuizen and suspended for a match after being cited.
"The principle of citing is absolutely right. What is not right is the wide variation in the method and the penalties being imposed," said Cotton. "We have made our views known on what happened to Doddie Weir. There is really no point adding anything further. We all have a responsibility to the game and to discharge that responsibility."
Did he think that the South African Rugby Union and the Mpumalanga RU had discharged their responsibilities? "The fines imposed would not pay for Doddie Weir's medical consultancy fees," said Cotton.
Bosman was fined 10,000 rand (about £1,400) and van der Berg 5,000 rand of which 3,000 rand has been suspended pending good behaviour. That despite the fact that they were found guilty of bringing the game into disrepute.
Number eight Scott Quinnell, who has returned home because of a groin muscle strain, will be replaced by Tony Diprose of England. Diprose, who is 24, has been preferred to Ben Clarke. Diprose won his first England cap against Argentina last Saturday week and his second last Saturday.
He has been on the fringe of the England side in the last few seasons. Captain of Saracens, Diprose is 6ft 5ins and 17st. He will join the Lions in Durban tomorrow.
Paul Wallace, who plays with Diprose at Saracens, said of his teammate's selection: "I am delighted for him. He is a very good player. He has been on the fringe of international selection for quite some time. Now in the space of less than two weeks, he has got two England caps and a Lions tour."
