Gatland to study video of match

Donal Lenihan and Warren Gatland will sit down with South Africa's top refereeing official, Steve Straydem, this week in Bloemfontein and go through the video of Saturday's controversial 12-6 defeat to Western Province in Newland. Lenihan made his feelings known to Straydem during a strained post-match reception on Saturday.

Lenihan, who was in the Irish side when Straydem refereed the 1995 win in Murrayfield, engaged South Africa's refereeing co-ordinator on the International Board in a three-way conversation with Saturday's match official Jonathan Kaplan.

It was clear from the way Lenihan stalked off that he was still far from happy. However, beyond the informal video viewing with Straydem, he admits there's not much else he can do.

Even some South Africans, such as the watching former Western Province players Joel Stransky and Gary Pagel, admitted they were embarrassed by Kaplan's lob-sided performance, of which the 19-9 penalty count was an accurate barometer.

The Irish were left seething by a whole host of decisions, namely the penalty for a supposedly "no arms" tackle by Paul Wallace on Chester Williams, after which Allen Clarke blocked the winger's defensive chip, gathered and deftly kicked ahead for Denis Hickie to touch down. "The video shows clearly that Paul used his arms," said Lenihan.

Then there was the key decision at the end when Kaplan denied Ireland what might have been a match-winning, 13-man line-out drive because backs reputedly joined the line-out as the ball was being thrown in: a risible decision.

For the record, Kaplan said he would willingly "explain any of my decisions" but even the gentlest of probings seemed to unmask this 31-year-old former Zimbabwean international's veneer. "I blew the whistle because there were players still joining the lineout when the ball was being thrown in. To say that I don't know the laws is silly but obviously I'm going to go back and view the tape."

The Irish management's post-match reaction and the palpable sense of anger toward him had clearly shaken Kaplan. "You are never going to get an even penalty count in a game. The criterion should not be how many penalties but `when did we infringe and did we make errors?' For people to come out and talk about 19-9 I find in very poor taste." Kaplan extolled the discipline of Paddy Johns, and revealed that the Irish captain thanked him afterwards though "it wasn't a feeling shared by the (Irish) players on the pitch." Indeed, an abiding memory was the sight of Kaplan being quickly ushered off the pitch by his touch judges (why were they doing that?), and offering to shake Allen Clarke's hand. Clarke walked straight past him.

"Until that last decision, when he [Johns] obviously disagreed, he was exemplary. If I made a mistake it was a genuine mistake. I wasn't trying to rob the Irish. If I made a mistake I would offer them my sincere apologies. I'm not trying to create a scene."

"I'm disappointed at the attitude after the game when Ireland were so disciplined during the game in accepting a decision. I like the Irish. I don't have anything against them because if there's a favourite people in the world it's the Irish and this is all a little bit sore for me."

Ominously, given the officials' reaction to Ireland's misgivings, the referee for tomorrow's imposing game against current Vodacom Cup champions Griqualand West is Tappe Henning, one of Saturday's touch judges.

"The only hope is that after being seen to create such a fuss the South African referees might be conscious of being seen to be fair," said Lenihan yesterday.

The team for that game was chosen yesterday after a light run-out in Cape Town prior to the squad's flight to Kimberley. The side will again be led by Anthony Foley and shows just four changes from the mid-week team beaten 27-20 by South West Districts last Wednesday.

There are first starts on tour for Terenure scrum-half Derek Hegarty and Mick Galwey, as well as replacement call-up Des Clohessy who will pack down in an Irish shirt for the first time alongside brother Peter. Justin Bishop, impressive in his first tour start on Saturday, plays again.

Ireland (v Griqualand West): C Clarke; R Wallace, K Keane, R Henderson, J Bishop; D Humphreys, D Hegarty; D Clohessy, B Jackman, P Clohessy, M Galwey, G Fulcher, T Brennan, A Foley (capt), D Wallace. Replace- ments: C O'Shea, M McCall, B O'Meara, J Hayes, K Wood, V Costello, D O'Cuinneagain.