Controversy over draw

Press, 28 May 1984, Page 21

Controversy over draw

NZPA-Reuter Cape Town The England rugby tourists drew 15-15 with Western Province in Cape Town on Saturday after a thrilling game that ended on a controversial note. However, they can claim a moral victory from a match that proved a confid-ence-booster for their first test against South Africa this Saturday. The tourists scored the only two tries and led for most of the match against South-Africa’s finest provincial side, who drew level in injury time with a rather dubious penalty by Calla Scholtz — his fifth. England, hit by injuries and little fancied after two indifferent victories in their opening games, showed little respect for their critics as they took control from the start. The full-back, Dusty Hare, looked far more impressive on Saturday. Scholtz levelled matters well into injury time with his fifth accurate kick of the day, awarded after the linesman pointed out a late tackle on the flyhalf, Carel du Plessis.

It looked a harsh judgment on what appeared to be an accidental followthrough, and one that visibly angered the England captain, John Scott. ' However, he led his side off knowing they will now be taken seriously by the Springboks when the two sides clash in Port Elizabeth next Saturday. Scorers: England: R. Hill, J. Horton (tries); Hare (two conversions and a penalty). Western Province: Scholtz (five penalties). • Bryan Barley, aged 24, the Wakefield centre, an original choice for the tour who had to drop out through injury, will fly out today as a replacement for Paul Dodge. Dodge’s injured ankle has not responded quickly enough to treatment and he is out of the tour party, although he will stay in South Africa for the last fortnight of the trip. Barley played in England’s last three Five Nations Championship matches, but was forced to withdraw from the tour after injuring knee ligaments in a club game.