Solicitor rules on England’s Cup fate drew Baldock

ENGLAND’S World Cup fate could be decided in the surreal setting of a Sydney solicitors’ office today.

Thu, 30 Oct, 2003 - 00:00

Instead of preparing on the Queensland Gold Coast for his team's final group game against Uruguay, head coach Clive Woodward will lead a five-man delegation to Australia's World Cup capital.

When they arrive after a 60-minute flight from Brisbane, Woodward and company will be confronted by two misconduct charges.

The first arises from Dan Luger's appearance as a substitute during England's 35-22 Pool C win against Samoa in Melbourne last weekend. It meant England fleetingly had 16 players on the pitch, with Luger into the fray and centre Mike Tindall back in action following touchline treatment for an injury.

The England party must now prove that sending on Luger was not in defiance of match fifth official Australian Brett Bowden.

If found guilty, England could conceivably be docked points, although a financial punishment or rap over the knuckles appears far more likely.

Should the points option be pursued by independent Rugby World Cup judicial officer Brian McLaughlin, an Irish solicitor, then England's dream of global supremacy threatens to become a horror story. Woodward's men currently top Pool C, and are heading towards a quarter-final appointment with Wales in Brisbane on November 9.

If points are subtracted though, and depending how many, then it might be New Zealand at the last-eight stage, or improbably, even an early flight home.

The second misconduct complaint relates to Reddin, after what was understood to be a verbal spat between him and fourth official Steve Walsh following the Samoa clash.

England, meanwhile, lodged a protest against one of the match officials - believed to be Walsh about what World Cup organisers termed "a related issue".

Speaking yesterday about the 16th player, Woodward said: "It was an error, I can assure you, and yes, there has been an investigation. I would like to think that if any team made an error like this, that there has got to be an inquiry, and no more than that."

Elsewhere, New Zealand's star centre Aaron Mauger will make his first start of the World Cup against Wales on Sunday after twice shaking off injuries to finally break into the All Blacks starting line-up.