Commotion in Bulls camp over substitution

Hendrik Cronje
Tuesday, February 13, 2007

An investigation by SA Rugby into the 'tactical' substitution of flanker Anton Leonard during the Super 14 match against the Cheetahs on Saturday has caused a commotion in the Bulls camp.

The Cheetahs did not request the investigation, which resulted from information that Bulls team manager Wynie Strydom supplied on his match report card and which appeared on SA Rugby's official website.

According to the website, Strydom wrote on his card that Leonard's replacement by Hilton Lobberts in the 67th minute was a 'tactical' substitution. The card was later handed to the fourth and fifth referees at the match, Cobus Wessels and Johan Greeff.

If it were a tactical substitution, Leonard should have had no further part in the match. However, he returned hardly three minutes later when Lobberts was injured.

Sending Leonard back was the last option left to Bulls coach Heyneke Meyer, who by then had only scrumhalf Nic Eyre left on the bench because he had included four prop forwards in his squad to neutralise the Cheetahs' powerful front row.

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Meyer's hands were also tied because he had sent on Adriaan Fondse as a tactical substitute at the same time that Lobberts replaced Leonard.

SA Rugby's chief of referees, Andre Watson, confirmed that an investigation into Leonard's substitution had been conducted.

"Things happen very quickly next to the field," Watson said.

"After the Bulls had indicated that they wanted to substitute Leonard, there was radio contact between team doctor Tommie Smook and the Bulls management. It was said that Anton was bleeding from the top of his nose and from an eye wound.

"We have been informed that the Bulls later handed in a second card to show that Anton had left the field because he was bleeding. If that was not done, there would have been trouble."

Referees are trying to apply the substitution laws strictly to prevent farcical situations.

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