INTERNATIONAL TEST RUGBY: BATTERED AND bruised, the Lions squad yesterday left Pretoria for a two-day safari at the Entadeni game reserve three hours outside Johannesburg. As they lick their wounds in a welcome, 48-hour respite from all things rugby, they also left a trail of seething resentment behind them.
Head coach Ian McGeechan had a decidedly frosty response to the risible remarks of his counterpart, Pieter de Villiers, who refused to condemn Schalk Burger’s gouging of Luke Fitzgerald, while Mike Phillips launched a broadside at the Springboks’ confrontational approach.
Admitting that the second Test was one of the most brutal games he had been involved with, the Lions’ head doctor, Dr James Robson, confirmed that five players were obliged to go to hospital after Saturday’s dramatic, series-clinching 28-25 win by the Boks. Two of the quintet, Gethin Jenkins (fractured cheekbone) and Adam Jones (dislocated shoulder) are out of next Saturday’s third Test in Johannesburg, while Jamie Roberts (strained wrist), Tommy Bowe (strained elbow) and Brian O’Driscoll (concussion) are in a race against time.
O’Driscoll will be subject to tests by a neurosurgeon, and he could still play his 100th Test match on Saturday.
Likewise, Bowe and Ronan O’Gara (who had to have stitches into a deep cut on his left eye, and couldn’t see out of it yesterday) could also be fit.
McGeechan reacted strongly to de Villiers’ post-match comments when the South African coach said: “I don’t think he (Burger) should have received a card at all. I did see the evidence. If you ever sit through and dissect the game you’ll see other yellow cards that could have been missed.”
McGeechan retorted: “I could never condone actions like that and I think it should have automatically been a red card. I am very disappointed he said that. I can’t see that ever being part of the game. It certainly wouldn’t be part of a game I want to be associated with.”
Fitzgerald recalled the incident: “I went into the ruck, got cleaned out and felt a hand going for my eyes. Given the seriousness of the allegations, you would have to say it was probably a red card. If the touch judge said that (‘at least a yellow’) then I’m pretty surprised it wasn’t a red card. So early in the game they (the referees) are often reluctant to give a red card.
“I was lucky I had my hands free and was able to stop him doing any damage.
“At the end of the day, the ref did a pretty good job, it was pretty intense with 50,000 fans screaming and shouting,” said Fitzgerald, who added: “I’m sure he (Burger) is not a dirty player.”
Few Lions players felt the need, or perhaps had the energy, to question Burger’s sanction, or complain about the Boks’ off-the-ball niggling. But, in his inimitable way, Wales scrumhalf Mike Phillips let rip. “They seemed to be able to get away with a lot of punching, gouging and what not. We are the straight guys and we came out second best. It’s not good enough.”
Regarding Burger’s sinbinning, Phillips said: “It was a clear red card, as simple as that. You can’t do things like that, you can’t go throwing punches off the ball. It should have been a straight red and it has cost us the game.
“You have just got to leave it in the referee’s hands. It was clear. Referees are paid to do a job, we are paid to play, to entertain, not to ref. Lukey (Fitzgerald) said he had to pull his (Burger’s) hands off his eyes. That’s not sport, that’s not the way we play, it’s not the gentlemanly thing to do. It’s disgusting.”
Asked if there were other gouging incidents, Phillips said “Yes”. Punches? “Throughout the game there was punches going on off the ball. You can play hard, be a tough man on the pitch but play within the rules. It’s not nice, and it’s little things like that which really bug you. As a professional, you work your socks off all week, you come to the pinnacle of your sport and things like that happen.
“It’s horrible losing in sport,” added Phillips. “We have got to deal with that this week. We put a huge effort in and it’s terrible to come second best. We play to win. You just want to win as a professional player. You come out here, it’s the Lions, it’s legendary stuff, it’s every four years, a great opportunity, a chance to fulfil your dreams and make them come true. It’s all about winning.”
Asked if he had any South African blood in him, Phillips smiled and said: “I hope not.”
Bakkies Botha, having informed Phillips of his “sexy blue eyes”, apparently turned his attentions elsewhere last Saturday. “No, he was quiet this week. He was too knackered to speak.”
They’ll, eh, love Phillips even more hereabouts now, but, undeterred, he said of the third Test: “People said we had no chance this game and we were by far the better team. We can win next week. We have got enough tools to go out there and get the victory. We will be gunning for it.”
And they’ll be gunning for him.
Both McGeechan and Lions’ manager Gerald Davies launched an impassioned plea on behalf of the Lions tours continuing, which, given their popularity and financial success, they will despite a third series defeat on the bounce.
To that end, the Lions are looking at the possibility of having more warm-up games prior to the Test series in Australia in 2013.
EIGHT WEEK BAN FOR GOUGING
SCHALK BURGER, the South African flanker, was last night found guilty of gouging the Irish and Lions' winger Luke Fitzgerald and suspended for eight weeks. This followed the two-week suspension handed down to the Springboks' lock Bakkies Botha for angerously charging at the Lions' prop Adam Jones in South Africa's 28-25 win over the British and Irish Lions in Pretoria on Saturday.
The disciplinary hearings into the citings against Burger and Botha began at midday local time (11a.m. Irish time) in Pretoria; broke up at 3pm and reconvened in Johannesburg at 5.30pm before the Burger suspension was finally announced after 1am Both players will thus be ruled out of the third test in Johannesburg next Saturday.
