Violence is left to rest

In time-honoured fashion, no one was citing anybody after Saturday's bruising second Test in Pretoria. Denis Hickie was the major casualty, his fractured jaw requiring the insertion of a plate and an overnight stay in hospital, and Eric Elwood had seven stitches in a wound to his scalp.

Regarding the citing procedures, Irish team manager Donal Lenihan yesterday said: "We had a look at the video and there were a number of things we weren't happy with. We met with Nick Mallett and Alan Solomons last night (Saturday) and we agreed that we wouldn't cite players. We decided that we would look after our own discipline."

Lenihan maintained: "We didn't go out to start anything. Our fellas just reacted to what happened on the field, where people like (James) Dalton were way over the top. I can't in all honesty say we were the instigators."

Warren Gatland pointed out that it was the first time Ireland had been involved in a bad-tempered match of this sort, adding: "I hate lack of discipline. In over 200 firstclass games I was never penalised for foul play, I was never carded for foul play, and I was never sent-off for foul play."

To Springbok charges that the home side were "frustrated" by Ireland's spoiling tactics, Gatland countered: "That's just an excuse. That (frustrating the opposition) is part of what rugby is about. What are we supposed to do? Lie down and capitulate. We're not here to do that."

All of the Irish players this writer spoke to claimed it was the hardest game they ever played in. Trevor Brennan also admitted that: "It was played a much faster pace than the first Test. South Africa upped their game today by about 20 per cent."

Gatland maintained that it was a hugely beneficial tour. Citing several individual positives - Brennan, Justin Fitzpatrick, Justin Bishop, Kevin Maggs, Eric Elwood, Peter Clohessy, Allen Clarke, and the experience gained by Des Clohessy and John Hayes - he said: "Irish rugby in the past has taken 10 or 12 players on tour and then dropped them for the next tour. If we don't stick with them we end up back at square one."

"It's up to them to go back and work hard, and learn from the experience. Playing at the top level is what it's all about. If you look at the number of Test matches our guys have played, we're babies compared to them. And you can't coach experience. So that's what this tour was all about, and I know the players have worked hard."

It's two or three years down the road."