Straeuli steaming as Dallaglio escapes punishment for punching

SPRINGBOKS coach Rudi Straeuli is privately fuming after Lawrence Dallaglio escaped punishment for punching Thinus Delport during Saturday’s World Cup showdown in Perth.

The International Rugby Board have confirmed no action will be taken against Dallaglio, even though the incident was referred to their citing commissioner by the South African camp immediately after the game.

Although publicly Straeuli expressed no more than mild irritation at the decision, it is widely believed the former Bedford coach is angered by what he sees as double standards by the game’s governing body.

His team were roundly condemned for their overly-aggressive approach to the previous meeting between the two sides 12 months ago which saw lock Jannes Labuschagne sent off after just 15 minutes, Werner Greeff cited for a high tackle on Phil Christophers and skipper Corne Krige condemned for leading the brutal assault.

However, while the Springboks were almost faultless in the discipline department in Perth, Delport was forced to have seven stitches inserted into a wound just above his eye and has been ruled out of Friday’s encounter with Georgia at Aussie Stadium.

And Straeuli feels England are being allowed to get away with the same thing, even though Dallaglio claimed his action was merely retaliation as he felt his eye was being gouged.

“We are very disappointed that nothing has happened over this,” said Straeuli. “We have lost a player for Friday’s game because of what Dallaglio did. We have gone through the right channels, put the documentation in and we are not happy.”

Delport was the most badly hurt of the Springboks squad, although the other bumps and bruises were enough to persuade Straeuli to make 13 changes for Friday night’s encounter.

Only lock Bakkies Botha and number eight Joe van Niekerk retain their places from the side which was defeated by England in a match which neither Straeuli nor Krige can believe got away from them.

“It was worse when you watched in on TV,” admitted Krige. “It was a big opportunity to take them.”

Barring the unthinkable, the Springboks will face a quarter-final tussle with New Zealand in Melbourne on November 8, with the winners almost certain to meet hosts Australia in a Sydney semi-final a week later.