Dolphin final appearance still in doubt

THE All-Ireland League final between Terenure and Dolphin, fixed for Lansdowne Road on Saturday (2pm) is still in doubt.

Objections made by Young Munster to Dolphin’s use of a substitute are still being discussed by the Irish Rugby Football Union.

A meeting of an appeals committee was held in Dublin last night and went on for hours. The lack of a decision has cast doubts on whether Dolphin, who believe they are promoted to Division One, can go on to meet the AIB Division Two champions, Terenure.

Meanwhile NSW Waratahs’ coach Ewen McKenzie has called for the judiciary of rugby’s governing body in the southern hemisphere to be overhauled after Brumbies scrum-half George Gregan was suspended for just one week for a spear tackle.

McKenzie was surprised by the leniency shown by SANZAR to Gregan, the Australia captain, given that Waratahs flanker Rocky Elsom was handed a four-week ban earlier in the season for punching.

“I can’t believe, with all the intelligence of the people involved, we can’t get a better, more consistent result,” he said. “Every verdict that comes down should be passed around and then at least you’ve got some case law to work with.”

Brumbies skipper Stirling Mortlock countered McKenzie’s claim, saying the one-week suspension was fair.

“George has played over 200 first-class games at Wallaby and Super level and he has had an impeccable record,” Mortlock said. “I think the sentence handed down by SANZAR, combined with his exemplary record over 12 years, was justified.”

The judiciary revealed the case was decided on common law. The examples they considered involved Highlanders flanker Craig Newby and Pacific Islanders centre Seilala Mapusua. Both were banned for a week after making spear tackles. Gregan was victim in the Mapusua incident.