Buger condemned by Lions for gouging

The 2004 World Player of the Year was given an eight week ban for his first minute assault on the Irish wing. For the 21-year-old it was the worst possible start to his Lions test career as Burger quite clearly put his hands over his face and put a finger in his eye at the first ruck.
T
ouch judge Bryce Lawrence saw the incident and told French referee Christophe Berdos that it was "at least a yellow card" offence. That's all that Burger got and, even though the Lions scored 10 points when he was off the field, the tourists felt he should have been off for the remaining 79 minutes.

"I was surprised that someone of Burger's quality would have done something like that. I felt the fingers around my eyes," said Fitzgerald.

"It seems to becoming a part of the game that we would rather not be there. You would hope that if a referee finds something like that he will deal with it severely.

"I went into the ruck, got cleaned out and felt a hand going for my eyes. Given the seriousness of the allegations you would have to say it was probably a red card offence."

That was a view that was backed up by a furious Ospreys scrum half Mike Phillips, after the welsh scrum half had been targeted for some special attention by the Springbok bully boys.

"It was a clear red card - it was simple. They should have played with 14 men for 79 minutes, and that would have given us a massive advantage," said Phillips

"I couldn't believe it. You can't do things like that and it was a disgusting game really.

"There were a number of punches thrown off the ball and other things that went on that were illegal. I understand that Testrugby is a tough environment, but you have to stay within the rules.

"You work your socks off as a professional to win Test matches like these, and when things like what they did go unpunished it just frustrates you."

Springbok lock Bakkies Botha also picked up a two week suspension following his citing for a dangerous charge on Ospreys prop Adam Jones. Jones dislocated his right shoulder and is out of the third Test.