Sport Matters 8th February 2012
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A GREAT DAY IN CARDIFF RECALLED
By JOHN FALLON
Connacht will return to the scene of one of their most memorable triumphs on Friday night when they take on Cardiff Blues at the Arms Park.
The game has been switched from the new multi-million Cardiff City Stadium as the Welsh return to their old home in a bid to see if they can garner more support after playing most of the season in a stadium less than half full on a good day.
The first Celtic League game Connacht played in was on a Saturday afternoon in August 2001 in Cardiff. They had done well in a few European Challenge Cup campaigns — or whatever it was called them —but it was a real step into the unknown against the Welsh and few gave them any chance against their illustrious opponents.
The likes of Ebbw Vale, Caerphilly and Neath were in the competition back then but playing Cardiff was really taking on the big boys.
It was a typical summer’s day in Wales — a wet, windy, dark afternoon with drizzle and puddles.
The game matched the greyness of the weather, a real slugfest where neither side was prepared to give an inch.
Connacht laid down a marker that day that they would not bend the knee to anyone and there were wild celebrations afterwards, even if it was confined to players, management, a couple of alicadoos and the odd journalist. Connacht supporters were as rare that day as open rugby, but anyone that was there will remember it for many a day, even if it was one of the worst games in living memory.
Gavin Duffy and Michael Swift started that day and Johnny O’Connor was on the bench; so too was Eoin Reddan and Damien Browne, who are now with Leinster, but the playing days are over for the others.
Eric Elwood kicked both penalties that day while Connacht team manager Tim Allnutt was in the centre and assistant coach Dan McFarland was loosehead.
The result and details of the match are hard to find as the creation of the ‘Blues’ tag for Cardiff has hidden away a day the Welsh would rather forget.
More of the same on Friday, especially with last Sunday still gnawing away, wouldn’t go astray.
SIGHT OF THE WEEK: Painful, but the look on Stephen Ferris’ face when he realised he had just cost Ireland victory at the Aviva Stadium on Sunday.
THEY SAID IT: “Hodge scored for Forest after only 22 seconds, totally against the run of play,” TV commentator Peter Lorenzo quickly spots a trend.
IT HAPPENED ON THIS DAY: 8th February 1983: The most infamous kidnapping in sport happened when Shergar was stolen from a stable in Kildare, never to be seen again.
Referee accosted at end of colleges game in Galway
By JOHN FALLON
There were disgraceful scenes at the end of a Sigerson Cup match in Galway yesterday in which a referee was accosted at the end of the match before a mob of angry players then raced to his dressingroom and tried to confront him.
Westmeath referee Sean Carroll and some of his officials were surrounding by angry players from St Mary’s College – a teacher training college in Belfast – at the end of a game which was won by NUIG by 0-6 to 0-5.
St Mary’s had a chance to level the match with a last gasp 45 from their goalkeeper Niall Morgan in the second minute of stoppage time, but the kick was short and the full-time whistle went with St Mary’s in possession and poised for an equaliser.
Referee Carroll and two of his umpires were surrounded and confronted by several players as they made their way from the pitch, and were verbally abused.
Other St Mary’s players and officials pulled their colleagues away as the referee and match officials left the pitch in NUIG grounds at Dangan to make their way along a laneway a couple of hundred metres away to the clubhouse.
However, moments later one of the St Mary’s players, who is from Tyrone, urged his colleagues to “let’s get him” and raced off in the direction of the match official’s dressinrooms.
Several players, some of them urging their colleagues to ‘calm down, calm down’, followed and they ran through the laneway which was crowded with supporters making their way home.
Around six players tried to get into the area where the match officials were changing but were preventing by officials. They demanded to see the referee and shouted abuse at they tried to get in a door to the referee’s rooms.
With tempers high other officials led them away to their own dressingroom.
Match referee Sean Carroll and his officials were not injured and were not accosted as they left the clubhouse after changing about 20 minutes later.
The secretary of the Higher Education Council, Mike McMahon, said that they would wait for the report from match referee Sean Carroll before proceding further.
“We will follow procedure and wait for the referee’s report and then decide what action is to be taken,” said McMahon, who was present at the match in Dangan yesterday.
Red-hot Cummins sends IT Sligo through to face champions
IT Sligo 1-18
IT Tralee 0-7
By DECLAN ROONEY
Danny Cummins sent out a major claim for inclusion in Alan Mulholland’s Galway side with a stellar eight points from play as IT Sligo dumped IT Tralee out of the Sigerson Cup.
Cummins ran riot in the inside forward line as the Kerry students had no answer to a powerful performance from John Kent’s side, who meet champions UCC in the next round.
IT Sligo manager and former Sligo star, Kent, was delighted with his side’s second-half display but is expecting tougher task against the holders.
“We lost our way a little before half-time and I was a bit annoyed, but I knew that we could step it up again. But this is just a win and we are delighted to get into the next round,” said Kent.
“I am delighted for Danny because we haven’t been getting good ball into him. We did today and he took full advantage.”
Indeed the day started on a sour note for IT Tralee, who only arrived at the St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield venue 13 minutes before the scheduled throw in after loosing their way to the County Clare venue.
And IT Sligo made them pay for their tardiness as they raced into a four-point lead with Cummins, and the dominant Cavan duo of David Givney and Eugene Keating finding their range.
A brief recovery from IT Tralee before the break saw them just trail by 0-8 to 0-5 at half-time, but after the restart the Sligo students turned on the fireworks.
Seven points without reply saw IT Sligo race into a ten-point lead as their powerful running from deep and tenacious defending continuously left IT Tralee punch-drunk, especially after defender Eoin Murray was sent off after picking up his second yellow card in the 40th minute.
Tralee full-forward Damien Kelly retaliated with two quick points, but Cummins – who landed five points in the second-half – and Givney continued to run their backline ragged.
And in a final killer blow substitute Martin Dunne showed some excellent footwork and finishing prowess to hit the net, sending IT Sligo into a quarter-final tie with UCC in two weeks time.
IT Sligo: A Faherty; R Donovan, K Keane, J Kelly; D Maye, D Geraghty, D Drake; D Givney (0-3), E Mullen; P Garvey (0-2, 1f), E Keating (0-4, 3fs), G Gaughan (0-1); D Cummins (0-8), S Ryder, A Croal.
Subs: M McHugh for Croal, h-t; K Sweeney for Ryder, h-t; R McNally for Maye, 49; M Dunne (1-0) for Gaughan, 53; P Seoige for Kelly, 58.
IT Tralee: P O’Sullivan; E Murray, S Brosnan, D Larkin; AJ O’Connor, J Scully, K Conway (0-1); R Deane, G O’Driscoll; S Carroll, B O’Grady, M Brennan (0-1); A O’Donoghue, D Kelly (0-2), B O’Hehir (0-3, 2fs).
Subs: B Poff for O’Grady, h-t; D Cahalane for Conway, 51; D Tiernan for Deane, 54; I Corbett for O’Donoghue, 50; C Sullivan for O’Connor, 54.
Referee: Michael Rock (Clare)
Irish drivers must have breathalyser for travelling in France
By JOHN FALLON
Thousands of Irish tourists who will take their car with them to France this summer will face fines unless they are carrying a breathalyser with them in their vehicle.
A new law is coming into operation prior to the start of summer which will make it obligatory for all drivers in France to have an alcohol breathalyser with them at all times.
It is the latest part of a clampdown on road deaths and accidents by President Nicolas Sarkozy, who last week announced the latest in a series of hard-hitting road safety measures. In recent years legislation has been introduced forcing drivers to have a hi-vis jacket within arm’s length, along with an accident warning triangle.
And now from the end of spring, every driver in France will be required to carry a personal alcohol tester in the vehicle.
The breathalysers will become available at reasonable prices throughout France — some for as little as €2 — but Irish motorists could have fork out as much as €50 if they buy them here before departing for France.
However, an award-winning road safety officer says that while the new French law has some merit, he does not see a need for it here.
Noel Gibbons, Road Safery Officer with Mayo County Council, said they were trying to promote a message of zero alcohol for drivers.
“The French plan is a good one ideally, but there is no requirement for it here at all,” said Mr Gibbons.
“We already are preaching the message that there is no safe limit to drive with drink in your system, so what use would carrying a breathalyser do?” he said. “We don’t want people to be taking a chance if they are close to the legal limit, putting people’s lives at risk.”
France is the world’s largest tourist market – 78.95million tourists visited there in 2010 – and visitors will need to take care when bringing their own cars to the country.
An estimated 765,000 Irish people travel to France from Irish shores each year and anyone bringing their own transport and found in breach of the new French law faces a €17 fine.
The operator of one of the country’s biggest specialists in French camping holidays, Pearse Keller of Keller Travel in Ballinasloe in Co Galway says holidaymakers will have to be fully aware of the implications.
“I suppose it will be up to us as travel agents to make sure our customers are made aware of the new rules of the road in France. Just like drivers have to carry a high-visibility vest and an accident triangle, they will now have to carry the breathalyser,” said Mr Keller.
“While it appears it will not be an expensive item, it is one more thing that holiday makers have to be aware of before leaving.
“But in fairness to the French administrators, they have made a concerted effort to reduce their accidents on the road. Going back ten or twelve years they had huge numbers of road deaths, but the hard work in that department should be applauded. Anything that makes it safer for our holiday makers is a positive thing,” said Mr Keller.
President Sarkozy’s latest manoeuvres come on the back of his 2007 pledge to cut road deaths in the country to 3,000 in 2012. Last year the death toll on French roads dipped below 4,000 for the first time, but still a long way off target.
Galway abandon plan for training centre and face €2.5m loss
By JOHN FALLON
GAA officials in Galway have decided to abandon an ambitious plan to develop a training centre for their hurlers even though they look like losing over €2.5m on the deal.
Galway hurling board purchased over 100 acres of land near Athenry at the height of the Celtic Tiger period and had hoped to develop a state-of-the-art training complex worth about €8m.
Planning permission was granted in 2008 for the development at Mountain South close to the new M6 motorway which included six pitches, one of them an all-weather floodlit facility, dressing rooms, gymnasiums, meeting rooms, hurling walls and ancillary facilities.
Galway hurling board paid €2.8m for 102 acres and have since paid €535,000 towards the project, the majority of which was on bank interest.
County board treasurer Bernie O’Connor said that the current debt on the project was €2.7m. With interest, this would mean €3.4m having to be repaid over the next 15 years, with €226,000 having to be found each year to do this. This would equate to each of the 40 clubs in the county paying €5,666 each year for the next 15 years, if the debt was to be serviced this way.
He said that they had made a submission to Croke Park, which includes the sale of the land, asking for assistance.
Galway hurling board chairman Joe Byrne said that the debt burden is not something the hurling community in Galway can continue to finance.
“The vision and foresight when purchasing this property was endorsed by the board, but circumstances and the economic situation has changed since then.
“Financial assistance to other projects within the county and province resulted in Mountain South going down the line as regards priority for funding,” he said.
The land cost around €27,500 an acre when it was purchased but farmland in the area is now fetching only around €5,000 an acre, which would still leave a debt of over €2m if it was sold at current values, on top of the half million euro already spent.
Galway officials are waiting on a reponse from GAA headquarters to decide on the best course of action.
Corofin left stunned after fine upped €500 on appeal
By JOHN FALLON
Galway champions Corofin have been hit with an extra €500 fine after an appeal to the Connacht Council backfired.
Corofin appealed a decision by the provincial body to fine them €5,100 following incidents at the Connacht SFC final in Kiltoom where St Brigid’s (Roscommon) retained their title.
Afterwards, referee Liam Devenney was escorted from the field after being accosted by angry Corofin members.
The club did not challenge the four week suspensions handed out to player Justin Burke and selector Michael Donnellan but made a case to the Connacht Council on Monday night appealing the fines.
Corofin were originally fined €4,000 in relation to the behaviour of their players, mentors or supporters; €700 for having more than 24 players togged out on the day and €400 for being late on to the pitch.
However, they were shocked to learn the fines had been increased by €500 by the Appeals Committee.
Club chairman Bernie Glynn admitted: “I don’t know what the problem is. We felt after the appeal that they might decrease the fine.
“We have to assess the situation, I don’t know what we will do next.
“We have a couple of days to appeal the decision, but we’ll have to meet and see what to do next.”
Connacht Council’s appeals committee chairman Andy Hannan said: “We viewed the footage of the game and there was some very serious incidents that took place.
“The Corofin team and supporters were there and no names were forthcoming when we looked for them.
“We have imposed a fine of €4,500 for the incidents involving the referee, while the other two fines are statutory fines and stay the same.
Chairman Hannan concluded: “This was a very serious incident and we had to meet it head on and deal with it and that is what we did.
Injuries force Connacht’s Matthews to retire
By JOHN FALLON
Connacht centre Keith Matthews has been forced to retire from rugby after failing to recover from an Achilles tendon injury picked up seven months ago.
The former Ireland A international is the latest professional player who has been forced to call a halt to his career.
Ironically, the 28-year old picked up the injury shortly after making his 100th appearance for Connacht, who he joined from Munster seven seasons ago.
The Limerick man suffered the injury during the captain’s run for a league game against Cardiff.
“I was running and went to go off my left and it was like as if someone had kicked me really hard. I looked back and there was no one there. I knew straight away it was bad, the pain was something else,” he said.
Matthews had ruptured his left Achilles tendon and was told it was more serious as the tear was high up. He had surgery in a week and the long road to recovery began.
However, it became apparent during the summer that the recovery was not working out as well as expected and there was a further set-back in September when he tried to run.
But all along the expectation was that he would make a full recovery. “I had to deal with a few serious injuries before and it was always worked out, so I suppose I expected the same now,” he said.
However, the prognosis was not good and his worst fears were confirmed two and a half weeks ago when he went to see a specialist in Belfast and was told he would never play rugby again.
“It was heartbreaking. I was gutted and it took a long time for it to sink in. There were a few tears as I realised this was it, there was no way back. That took time to sink in and I’m still coming to terms with it,” he said.
But, aside from management and a few others, Matthews kept the devastating news to himself as Connacht were preparing for their Heineken Cup debut against Harlequins.
“I didn’t want any negativity to go around, either for the Quins game or the first home match against Toulouse, so I waited before I told the lads.
“It struck me in the stand against Toulouse and against last weekend against the Ospreys that I would never again experience the thrill of being out there, the buzz from the crowd when you make a break or get a tackle in.
“But that’s what I need to adjust to. I’m not the first, nor will I be the last, to have his career cut short. I just thought I would get another two or three years out of it, maybe when I was 30 or 32,” said Matthews, who is married to Lisa and they have a daughter.
Matthews has prepared for life after rugby, graduating several years ago from University of Limerick with a degree in computer engineering, while more recently he has studied financial advising and is giving thought to accountancy.
He just hadn’t planned on having to make that adjustment for some time.
“I will always support Connacht. I have grown to love the place and consider myself a Galway and Connacht person and am grateful for the chance I got here. It’s disappointing the way it has ended but at least I got to reach the 100 games. This could have happened after 99,” he added.
Galway hurling review leads call for open draw
By JOHN FALLON
A review group in Galway under the chairmanship of former GAA President Joe McDonagh is urging the Tribesmen to lead the drive for an open draw system to be introduced for the All-Ireland senior hurling championship.
The radical proposal is one of several dozen recommendations contained in a report produced after a root and branch examination of hurling in Galway.
One of the recommendations is that Galway ‘should develop and solicit support from other counties for an open draw All-Ireland series at inter-county senior championship level’.
The review was carried out by Galway Hurling Review Group (GHRG) headed up by Joe McDonagh and which includes former managers Cyril Farrell and Conor Hayes, and former All-Stars Sean Silke, Pete Finnerty and Ollie Canning, along with officials from a broad spectrum.
The report notes that while feedback from the hurling fraternity in Galway was positive about the county’s involvement in the Leinster championship, this did not extend to U-21 or minor levels.
“The feedback received by the GHRG in its consultation with the clubs and stakeholders indicates that there has been general satisfaction with Galway’s participation in the Leinster senior hurling championship.
“However, the almost unanimous feedback from clubs, players and officials indicates that there is no appetite for the county minor and U21 teams to participate in the Leinster championship,” notes the report.
It also recommends that Galway needs to strengthen its hand in Leinster and secure increased grant allocations, as well as ensuring that they have home games if they are to continue playing in Leinster after the current deal expires in 2013.
The extensive report, which also includes recommendations for the Galway club championships along a broad range of sub-headings, was last night (MON) presented to officials from clubs in Galway.
Ospreys too strong for Connacht
Connacht 6
Ospreys 17
By JOHN FALLON
It has been a momentous few weeks for Connacht rugby but away from all the razzmatazz of their historic entry to the Heineken Cup, a seven-match losing run has now accumulated.
A good few of those losses, such as away to Leinster and Ulster, were entirely predictable, as were the Heineken Cup meetings with Harlequins and Toulouse.
Connacht have made huge strides off the field but on it they are still a good bit away from seriously competing with those sort of sides on a regular basis and the same would apply to a full strength Ospreys side.
But an Ospreys side without seven internationals, three more away with the Welsh sevens and eight out injured should be well within range for Connacht and that’s why Eric Elwood was so frustrated and annoyed on Saturday night.
Qualification for the Heineken Cup has done more for Connacht rugby in six months than what happened in the past decade. Their entry to it again is probably dependant on one of the other provinces winning one of the European competitions but they shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that Ulster are catchable in the RaboDirect PRO12 and they could claim entry to the Heineken Cup off their own steam next time.
Ulster’s failure to even get a bonus point in Glasgow on Friday night presented Connacht with a glorious chance to make up ground on Saturday night but, despite ample possession, they never looked like doing that against the weakened Welsh.
True, the loss of the suspended Mike McCarthy did not help, nor did Michael Swift joining a casualty list which includes other experienced warriors such as Johnny O’Connor and Keith Matthews, but Connacht had both the possession and opportunity to win this one and availed of neither.
The sight of the burly Welsh prop Duncan Jones, celebrating his 150th outing for Ospreys, supplying the game’s decisive moment with a lung-bursting break to set up the clinching try in the second-half summed up a lot from this frustrating encounter.
“We are extremely disappointed. We’re not in a happy place at the moment with the run of defeats. We are putting good phases of play together but then turn it over or just not finish the chances. That’s frustrating and we need to learn from game to game.
“We really gifted them two soft tries and then found it so hard to score. In fairness, both sides did their best and played some good rugby in the conditions. We were happy with the lineouts and played well in the second-half but just seem to turn it over when it really mattered,” said Elwood.
Connacht will take positives from the night on the field — David McSharry again impressing, this time at outside centre, and Dave Gannon doing well in the lineout — and off it the official crowd of 4,107 (around 3,000 in the ground when absent season ticket holders are taken into account) showed that plenty enjoyed the Toulouse experience to come back again.
But now Connacht need to address the losing run and they get a good opportunity next Friday when they entertain Treviso.
“There are games every week now so you need to take the lesson from one and correct it for the next, so all our attention now is on Treviso next week.
“Treviso will be anxious to hit back after losing to Leinster. They’re a tough outfit but we will just have to front up to the challenge and put this one behind us,” added Elwood, whose side defeated the Italians 11-9 on the opening weekend of the season.
Both sides struggled to master the awful conditions with the swirling wind making lineouts, passing and kicking a lottery.
Connacht were on top in the opening half when they had the elements but still trailed by four points at the break.
Miah Nikora got Connacht off the mark with a kick in front of the posts after 15 minutes, after Ospreys were penalised for not rolling away.
Connacht had enjoyed a sustained bout of pressure, with scrum-half Paul O’Donoghue knocking on under pressure as he dived for the left corner after a trademark good maul off a lineout.
Ospreys, despite some good running down the left by the busy Richard Fussell, rarely got out of their own half but yet they managed to lead 10-6 at the break.
Matthew Morgan supplied all their first-half scores with a penalty before dotting down after 32 minutes when his scrum-half Rhys Webb stepped inside Connacht loosehead prop Brett Wilkinson and Morgan got round Connacht full-back Gavin Duffy to touch down.
The 18-year old added the conversion to make it 10-3 after 32 minutes, but Connacht hit back almost immediately and Nikora landed a good penalty.
Connacht enjoyed plenty of possession after the restart but struggled to convert it into scores and Ospreys wrapped up the game after 62 minutes.
Prop Jones broke off a lineout and while the Connacht cover got back, Ospreys piled on the pressure for Fussell to send Sonny Parker over for the try.
Morgan added the points to secure the win to keep the Welsh top of the table.
Scorers:
Connacht:
Pens: Nikora (2)
Ospreys:
Tries: Morgan, Parker
Cons: Morgan (2)
Pen: Morgan
Connacht: G Duffy; B Tuohy (M McCrea, 68), D McSharry, H Fa’afili, T O’Halloran; M Nikora (N O’Connor, 51), P O’Donohoe (F Murphy, 51); B Wilkinson (R Loughney 54), A Flavin (E Reynecke, 54), R Ah You; D Gannon, G Naoupu; TJ Anderson (M Kearney, 40), J Muldoon, R Ofisa (E Grace, 70).
Ospreys: B Davies; T Bowe (H Dirksen, 74), A Bishop, A Beck (S Parker, 53), R Fussell; M Morgan, R Webb; D Jones, R Hibbard (M Davies, 74), A Jarvis (C Griffiths, 57); I Gough (L Peers, 77), J King; T Smith, C O’Toole (G Stowers, 54), J Bearman.
Referee: A McMenemy (SRU).
Attendance: 4,107.
Young guns see Munster past Edinburgh
Munster 34
Edinburgh 17
By DECLAN ROONEY
Stand-in captain Mick O’Driscoll has paid tribute to emerging Munster talent – but says experienced players like himself are not going to give up their places without a fight. The young brigade grabbed the headlines from their latest bonus-point win in the RaboDirect PRO 12 on Saturday night, but veteran lock O’Driscoll said his generation are not ready to step aside just yet.
Tries from fledglings Danny Barnes, Simon Zebo and debutant Luke O’Dea helped secure the win at windswept Thomond Park.
The revenge mission was completed against Michael Bradley’s side with the bonus point after Edinburgh’s indiscipline was punished with a penalty try and O’Dea’s touchdown.
Thirteen changes in personnel from the previous week saw a Munster side take to the field full of intensity and hunger and according to O’Driscoll, the result was most satisfying.
“No matter who you are playing against, any time you get a bonus point you have got to be happy,” said the big secondrow. “There are guys there, me, Marcus, Hayes and Dunners; fellas like that who want to be playing every week and either haven’t been involved or have been on the bench. There is a lot to prove for guys like us.
“And then you have the younger guys who are the same, they all want to be playing European Cup games as well, but for some of them it is more about getting experience and getting back into the groove and putting themselves forward for now and the future.
“I suppose a lot of us are pushing on in years as well and it is vital that these young guys step up to the mark. We are certainly not going to step aside and let them in either, but it is important that these guys take their chances too.”
And the new kids on the block certainly caught the eye when the opportunity arose.
The most senior of the three, Barnes – who has 19 appearances to his name – cantered over for the opening try after barely two minutes, with Ian Keatley’s bright running tearing Edinburgh asunder out wide.
And Zebo, who broke the gain-line on countless occasions, was on hand to claim Munster’s third try after the pack had earlier ground out a penalty try.
But after an assured performance it was O’Dea who sealed the deserved bonus point when he beat the Edinburgh cover in a sprint to get the touch to Will Chambers’ grubber kick.
But at one stage in the second half we were sent scrambling to find out the Scots’ last win at Thomond Park. A Phil Godman try after 12 minutes after a poor kick through from Keatley, was added to by winger Tom Brown’s excellent stretching try nine minutes after the restart, which put just three points between the sides.
This was the time for the old heads to steady the ship and with Donncha O’Callaghan, O’Driscoll and Marcus Horan to the fore in seven reset scrums, the penalty try and the win was secured much to the pleasure of the skipper.
“We were the last game this weekend and we had dropped to fifth or sixth in the table going into tonight,” said O’Driscoll. “It was vital for us to win to get back up to where we belong, certainly in the play-offs, or the top one or two.”
Munster
Tries: Barnes, Pen try, Zebo, O’Dea
Cons: Keatley (4)
Pens: Keatley (2)
Edinburgh:
Tries: Godman, Brown, Laidlaw
Cons: Laidlaw
Munster: D Hurley; L O’Dea, W Chambers, D Barnes, S Zebo; I Keatley, T O’Leary; M Horan, D Fogarty, S Archer; D O’Callaghan, M O’Driscoll; B Holland, T O’Donnell, P Butler.
Replacements: J Coughlan for Butler, 67; D Williams for O’Leary, 69; S Henry for Fogarty, 69; J Hayes for Archer, 69; J Ryan for Horan, 75; I Nagle for O’Callaghan, 76; T Gleeson for Zebo, 76; S Deasy for Keatley, 76.
Edinburgh: C Paterson; S Visser, J Thompson, J King, T Brown; P Godman, M Blair; K Traynor, S Lawrie, J Gilding; S Cox, S Turnbull; Ni Talei, R Rennie, S McInally.
Replacements: H Leonard for Thompson, 23; L Niven for Rennie, 54; R Hislop for King, 58; G Laidlaw for Gogman, 64; E Lozada for Turnbull, 68; R Grant for Talei, 72; G Hunter for Paterson, 76.
Referee: N Paterson (SRU).
