Nathan Hines banned after late try denies Lions

Chris Jones
24.06.09

Nathan Hines has received a one-match ban for dangerous play, ending his hopes of forcing his way into the 22 for Saturday's Second Test with the Springboks in Pretoria.

The Scotland lock's heavy challenge on Wilhelm Steenkamp during last night's 13-13 draw with the Emerging Springboks went unpunished by referee Alain Rolland but the match citing commissioner made a complaint following the game in Cape Town.

Hines, the first Lion to face disciplinary action on the tour, appeared before Canadian judicial officer Alan Hudson in Cape Town this morning.

His suspension will dent Scottish hopes of representing the Lions in a Test on this tour and opens the way for London Wasps' Simon Shaw to claim a place in the match-day 22.

The Hines suspension was another blow for the Lions, who were denied a much-needed victory ahead of Saturday's Second Test by a late touchline conversion from Willem de Waal following a try by Danwel Demas.

Despite that, Ian McGeechan was pleased with his team's display in the face of gale force winds and driving rain at Newlands.

The Lions head coach said: “This match was a potential banana skin and we came through it well and I thought the attitude was superb, although there wasn't a lot of rugby played out there because of the conditions.

“I do feel sorry for the players who wanted to play some rugby — and maybe they tried too hard in the second half — but the attitude has been outstanding and we put in a very strong defensive game, except for that last minute try we conceded.”

While the Lions stayed at sea level in storm-hit Cape Town, the Springboks are training on the Highveld in calm dry conditions that include hard pitches.

However, Shaun Edwards insisted the Lions were equipped to deal with altitude in on Saturday and beat South Africa to keep the series alive.

The defence coach said: “The players are working out on rowing machines and exercise bikes with the special masks on that replicate high altitude — it has been set at 7,500 feet which is higher than we are actually going.

“If you could see the pain on the players' faces you would know how hard they are working and we are confident this work will ensure we have an advantage having already been up at that height on this tour for nine days.”

“It is wetter here but maybe the players will have a spring in their step when they get to Pretoria on Friday and get their hands on a dry ball.”

Scrum coach Graham Rowntree believes the selectors would consider changes in all three rows of the pack and made it clear the Wales front row of Gethin Jenkins, Matthew Rees and Adam Jones were certain to start having solved many of the problems the Lions suffered in the First Test after coming on as replacements.

“We will handle the scrums and driving maul better this week,” said Rowntree who expects England prop Andrew Sheridan to be available after recovering from a back problem.

“The guys who came on made a significant difference and I was able to show the forwards that fact on the video and it was a pep up for them. There is more to come from this Lions pack because what happened was a kick up the back side.”

Twickenham will host the traditional London double-header to kick off the Guinness Premiership season on 5 September. Saracens will face last season's beaten league finalists London Irish before Wasps tackle Harlequins.

Boys on tour

Andy Powell, the strongly built Wales No8, is usually hard to miss but he was even more conspicuous during last night's draw. Having shaved off his trademark moustache and Musketeer beard, he took to the pitch with what appeared to be a timely homage to Bjorn Borg — a bright white band around his hair. This complemented an enormous “sleeve” of bandage that encased much of his right arm. The Lions physios have been treating the minor fracture in his right hand with a small and almost hard to see compression bandage but were amazed to see him with the bottom half of his arm totally covered. Maybe he wants a role in the next Mummy film.